Helga rose to her feet and spoke with finality, “We must find Lucas and rescue Chanteline from his clutches, and this time it must be reclaimed and kept in safety by the werewolves and the elves together.”
Lengowyn and his people left with Seawan, Silvern and the elves, Helga made room on her sled for the wounded and they headed back to their village.
Jason, Jennifer and Yvette left with Derek and his family. Yvette asked Julia, “How is Ingrid, is she better?”
“She’s doing well, my dear, she persuaded Derek and me to help you and I think she has taken a fancy to my youngest boy, Reginald.”
Jennifer looked at Yvette and they both grinned.
“Forgive my impudence, but you are quite old in your human form.”
“I noticed that too and I believe has something to do with loving a human male, one grows old with them.”
“Does that mean you will age and pass on as he will?”
“We have had a good life, when he is gone I shall no doubt join him.”
Before they had journeyed more than two miles, Jennifer stopped and peered into the distance. She said to the others, “Someone is approaching.”
Julia said “That will be Lionel, my eldest.”
A young man approached the group at a tremendous pace, he came to rest before them breathing lightly, he held out two pairs of hiking boots plus thick woollen socks. “I had to guess the size.” He gazed at Yvette with sheep-eyes and said, “If they, er, er, don’t fit then I, I will carry you” he added, “If I may.”
Yvette cocked an eyebrow, “You, carry me?”
The young man’s face reddened and his siblings hid their smiles, “Yes, gladly.”
Jennifer steadied them both as they pulled on their socks. Jason could have sworn he detected a slight feeling of discontent from Yvette as her feet slid easily into her boots. He fastened his laces and stood up with her, he said to Lionel, “Thank you, Lionel, they fit perfectly.”
It was plain to see that he too was disappointed, but his features changed swiftly and Jason hid a grin when Yvette said to him, “Mine do too, but you may take my arm until I get used to the feel of them.”
As they walked on, Jason said to him, “You are fast on your feet, even in the snow.”
Lionel grinned and said, “Would you like to race me some time?”
“We’ll see.”
They reached the crest of the hill and saw Ingrid watching for them from the doorway. They made their way down a well-trodden path and Reginald, the boy Julia mentioned, ran past them and skidded to a halt at the doorway, he took Ingrid’s hand, said a few words and she waved to them.
Julia said, “She’s a good cook, food will be on the table within the hour.”
Yvette sighed and said, “That is good news, why I am so hungry I could eat a goblin.”
Lionel smiled and said softly, “Didn’t you get enough of them back there?”
She punched him on the arm and said in mock anger, “No, not really, because somebody with long arms kept stabbing them with his spear.”
“Sorry, I was trying to, er, er…”
“Protect me?”
“Er, yes.”
She grabbed his arm and pulled him to her, “Oh, what a sweet thing to say.”
Jason explained to Ingrid, at the dinner table. “…and luckily we found you in time and brought you here.”
“I will always be grateful. It was a horrible experience. I heard a groan and I thought he had slipped and fell. I went to look for him and I saw him, he had removed his mask, his face was swollen and bleeding lightly, then he saw me and - well I woke up here, amongst these nice people.”
Yvette said, “Julia is a werewolf like me and Jason.”
“I know, and Jennifer is an elf. I thought that was only in fairy tales. Wow, a werewolf and an elf.”
She looked at Yvette. “And you are his sister, but you are much smaller.”
Jennifer said, “She was the one who found you and carried you on her shoulder.”
Her jaw dropped, after which she shook her head gazed at all three and said, “When I have finished at the college, I will be taking Reginald to meet my parents in Germany.”
Jennifer looked at Jason and asked him, “When are you going to introduce me to your parents, as you already know mine.”
“My real parents are in Scotland, you can meet my foster parents when I finish college in two months time.”
Derek looked up from his meal. “Scotland! Who told you that? There are no werewolves in Scotland, Jason, not for years. They are in the French alps.”
Julia asked him, “Who told you that, Jason?”
“Lucas.”
She looked across the table at her husband. “I knew there was something not quite right with him, asking us where the werewolf village was without even introducing himself, there seemed to be something missing, he told us…”
Her voice trailed off and she looked up to the ceiling, he and the others heard a drumming noise, she whispered, “Is that rain?”
Yvette shouted out, “It’s raining.”
Everyone made a mad scramble for the door. Jennifer and Julia arrived there first, Julia yanked the door open and in the light from the room they saw the rain splashing down onto the snow. Jennifer held her arm out; her sleeve was drenched within seconds. She pulled it in, “It’s warm, the rain is warm, and the snow will melt now.”
Ingrid said, “It seems silly to say it now, but did anyone, notice, it hasn’t snowed for over twenty-four hours, and the air is not as cold.”
“I wonder how it is in the lowlands,” said Reginald, standing by Ingrid, his arm round her waist.
Ingrid looked at him. “It will probably be flooded, which means we will have to stay here for a while.”
Derek stretched his arms and covered a yawn with his hand. “I am tired, and I haven’t been tearing goblins apart, only shooting and stabbing them.”
Lionel spoke up, “I’ve fitted hammocks for our guests in the barn. It’s warm and dry in there with the animals.”
Jason said to Yvette and Jennifer as he edged nearer the door, “Race you to the barn.”
The trio left the room in a flash and Julia said to Ingrid, “Say good night to Reginald, my dear, your bed is still in our room,” and walked off with Derek in tow.
It rained heavily for the next thirty-six hours, confining everybody indoors.
As the dawn broke over the hills, the sun shone down on lush green grass. Julia said to the four, after gazing at the azure sky, “You will be leaving now, you’d better start packing.”
They said there goodbyes and promised to write when they had finished college.
The four companions made good time now that the snow had cleared. The air was warm and dry, it being the middle of July.
They reported directly to the rector when they arrived at the college. He had already heard from Jennifer’s parents that four of his students were well. They had informed him by telephone of the theft of a family heirloom and apologised for their daughter’s unthinkable behaviour.
Jennifer told him, “My parents have already explained why I behaved so recklessly, but I wish to apologise in person.”
The rector, a kindly man, told her, “Apology accepted. It was brave of you to journey here alone and also brave of your friends to assist you, I am glad you were successful.” He paused, and then added. “I do hope nothing serious has befallen Jonathon.”
Jason said, “He insisted on going for help, mainly because it was his carelessness that caused Ingrid’s fall.”
The old man’s shoulders rose and fell with a sigh, “Well, back to your studies, you missed your final exam, but if you feel up to it, you can take it tomorrow. Now off you go, clean yourself up, and put on some fresh clothes, the ones you are wearing smell as if you’ve been sleeping with wolves, and get something to eat, lunch will be ready soon.”
The four of them managed to keep their faces straight and left the office.
Mr
Wednesday, who was waiting for them, told them as they walked the corridor to the dining hall, “I really don’t know what to do about poor John? He was an orphan you know, he said he was of independent means, he paid us a huge sum for his education, and his belongings are still here.”
Jason assured him, “John may have got lost and injured himself, somebody will have found him, we saw lots of farm buildings, he is either still recuperating or he is on his way back here at this very moment.”
Yvette added, while bowing her head as a mourner would, “Sad to say, now the snow has cleared that if anything tragic has befallen him, his body will soon be discovered.”
Wednesday shook his head. “I really hope that is not the case.” Then he handed Jason a letter. “Before I forget, this arrived yesterday.”
He took and opened it hurriedly, fearing something had befallen his parents. His face creased in a grin, he said to the others, “Everybody is fine and they have a big surprise in store for me.” He looked at Yvette, “You will be coming too, won’t you?”
“Of course, and I must write to my foster-parents and tell them I will be bringing a friend along to meet them. Would you like to come too, the pair of you?”
Jennifer asked, “Where to, to France?”
“Of course,” she replied.
Ingrid said to her, “You are planning on taking Lionel, aren’t you?”
Yvette reddened and nodded, “Well, I hope so and if you are taking Reginald then you can travel with us, meet my people and then journey on.”
Ingrid clapped her hands. “And you could come with us, all of you and meet my parents too, but do you think I should inform them of Reginald’s heritage and you three?”
Yvette said, “No, they wouldn’t believe you, they might think you crazy and lock you up.”
Chapter sixteen.
Home again.
They walked from the station, and after passing Crow’s hill they reached the last hill.
Jason looked down at the farm, the animals were in the fields, the horses in the paddock, and all was quiet. He had informed his parents of their time of arrival, and then he remembered the birthday parties, and he recalled how his parents loved surprising people.
As they arrived at the front door it sprung open. A black and white figure ran out and sprung up into Jason’s arms as he went down on one knee. He caught her and laughed as she licked his face. His friends laughed too as he fell over onto his side. A familiar voice said, “Eighteen years old and as sprite as a puppy.”
Their eyes turned towards his mother’s voice, there stood Jennifer’s parents and the Longfellows. Iain called out, “Welcome home, Jason, Jennifer and friends.”
Jason’s mother said, after a long-awaited embrace, “Oh my, how you have grown, you’re as tall as your dad.” She winked at her husband. “By the way, Jason, how do you like surprises?” Without waiting for an answer she whistled, and six half-grown dogs of mixed appearance ran out of the doorway and surrounded Jessie, Jason and his friends. One black and white one had pointed ears and a bushy tail and another one had red fur and a white patch over its eye, it was plain to see that they were cross-breeds, part Border Collie and part fox.
Jason said to Jessie, “I thought I told you not to go near that fox.”
His father said as he hugged him, “She didn’t, he came to visit her. They would chase each other round the field and play all day long. I imagine she missed your presence so much she was glad to have someone else to take her mind off you, even if it was a fox.”
Jennifer approached her parents and they embraced. Silvern said, “We told Mr and Mrs Longfellow of the lies Lucas had spread. If he has the rune stone, and we believe he has, Helga would like to believe it is in safer hands, as the goblin menace is still with us and one day they will rise again and I am convinced Chanteline will be their main objective.”
Jason said, “I am longing for a swim,” he turned to the others, “Who’s coming?”
The three girls dropped their backpacks in answer.
His mother told them, “Leave your things here, lunch will be in the table in an...”
Her voice trailed off as she watched them head off over the fields and her husband said, “He’s back.”
Jason ran on ahead, Jennifer and Yvette kept pace with Ingrid and the three of them arrived together. They undressed quickly, and walked over to the river bank where Jason was ready and waiting. He turned around and said, as they approached him, “How about jumping from the tree...” His voice faded and then he said as he eyed his three companions, “My, oh my, how you three have changed since we were kids.”
The three stood there smiling, and Jennifer’s thoughts ran through his mind, “You too, husband-to-be, and shame on you thinking that. Keep your eyes on me from now on, if you please.”
Ingrid, in the middle, looked at the others in turn and then back at Jason, she grinned wickedly and said, “Okay girls, let’s dunk him.”
Before they could grab him, Jason sprang into the water and the girls followed. They surrounded him in the shallows with the water coming up to their waists. Jason took several deep breaths, Yvette said, “Watch out, he’s going to try and get away.”
“Fat chance,” said Ingrid and the three girls lunged at him and ended up holding each other.
Yvette cried out. “There he goes,” and they looked in the direction of her finger. The three set out after him. Jennifer and Yvette dived below the surface, Ingrid followed at a slower pace on the surface, the other two stopped and grabbed hold of her wrists, Yvette said, “Tell us when you need air,” and together with Jennifer she submerged once more and set off after Jason, towing the alarmed Ingrid with them.
They arrived at the ford. They had to surface briefly half-a-dozen times on their way there to give Ingrid a chance to fill her lungs. They saw Jason sitting on the jetty. He pointed to an array of bones sticking out of the water in midstream, some way off from the crossing. “Was that your doing, young lady?”
Jennifer looked at what was left of the Troll’s ribcage. “His name was Burr, he died serving the goblins.”
Jason said, “Now his spirit is at peace, poor fellow.”
“Jason, he tried to-!” She stopped as she heard two splashes down stream. Seconds’ later two shimmering forms approached them underwater, and then Lionel and Reginald made an appearance as they broke the surface.
The two Halflings stood in the shallows, grinning mischievously, Yvette and Ingrid pushed their way to them, Yvette asked them, “What are you doing here.”
Another voice sounded - female, “They met us at the station, they wanted to accompany us, and show us the way.” The four of them tuned and saw a man and a woman, both raven-haired and dressed in black robes. Yvette squealed, “Mama, Papa,” and rushed forward, sprinting through the shallows and ran into the woman’s arms.
Jason stood up and stared. The man held out his arms and said, “Silvermoon, my son, how are you, we have missed you sorely, can you forgive us?” His accent, and the woman’s, had a French lilt to it, just like Yvette’s.
Yvette watched him as he continued staring; she freed herself from her mother’s embrace and approached Jason, her arm outstretched. She took his hand as she neared him and tugged gently. He took a hesitant step forward and allowed his sister to pull him along. She brought him to his father and they slowly embraced, “I never knew you,” said Jason, as he looked into his father’s eyes, “But I missed you after learning of you. I know you did it for the best, so there is nothing to forgive.” He turned and held his hand out to Jennifer as she approached. “May I introduce my future wife, Jennifer Townsend, she is an elf. Her name is Lavendel. She is also a telepath and an accomplished archer.” He indicated with his head the pile of bones, “That’s some of her handy-work.”
Jennifer held out her hand to Jason’s mother, she took it and said, “Husband, we now have two daughters.”
Another familiar called out, “And we have a son.”
“Father
, mother,” called out Jennifer as her parents approached. She indicated Jason’s parents, “Jason’s mother and father.”
Seawan said, “We have met, they are Deerfoot and Darkenstar, and I see by the absence of clothing you have been skinny-dipping again.”
She shrugged, and said, “What’s the point of wearing clothes while swimming, our bodies get wet anyhow, besides it’s a nice feeling, especially with someone you love, trust and respect.”
Seawan looked at Silvern and said aloud, “Same old argument, first an innocent child, now a grown woman, who is in love with a werewolf-.”
Silvermoon. A Tale of a Young Werewolf. A YA Novel. 12-18 Page 14