“How did they finish up here?”
“The Norsemen gave them many ships and provisions and sent them on their way. Luckily, before their food and water ran out they landed in northern Britain. There they settled on farmland and raised cattle, but to their dismay their cattle changed into trolls in the night once more, and those trolls unlucky enough to be caught out in the sunlight, perished. They were forced to fish from the sea in the ships given to them, something they feared to do, as Ragniss had taken away their ability to swim.
In their time, they saw the Romans come and go. Later the Norsemen came once more, and they fled and hid underground, fearing the werewolves as they prowled throughout the night. One night a goblin saw a werewolf transform into a man and dress in Norsemen armour.
It was then they realized that the Norsemen themselves were the werewolves. As the years passed, they saw armies march across the land, they saw battles, and they hid from the roaring guns in their mountain caves. The werewolves disappeared, and they remained there and carried on mining for iron with which they traded.
One winter’s day, they travelled south and settled there as sheep farmers. They traded with elves who came overseas from the eastern lands. But then something happened when trading with the elves. The old greed returned when they saw the elves golden ornaments and they demanded gold for their wool. The elves refused to pay and traded with the humans. After which followed arguments over land rights, these altercations led to war, in which both sides fought fiercely in the disputed woods and forests, then Helga arrived with a family of river elves from the south, she brought with her the werewolves and they defeated the goblins in one great battle in the hills.
After that the few survivors hid in the hills and prospered. We stayed out of sight and learned to live as humans, then one day Lucas turned up, offering us immortality. Everyone believed him expect me and Jorgul.”
“What was Jorgul’s purpose at the college? We thought he was human. When Jennifer arrived she kept her suspicions to herself as he was my closest friend. She had her doubts about him, and told me when we were searching for the rune stone, and I wasn’t totally convinced until I saw him, or what I took to be him, with Reega. I recognised him by his clothing, and his goblin face did bear a slight resemblance to my friend of five years.”
“His job was to befriend you and your sister, to observe and report and stay with you at all times.”
His forehead creased. “I don’t understand. What was he to achieve by this, er, friendly deception?”
“Allow me to explain. Lucas persuaded my father to steal the rune stone. I was against it and so was Jorgul - I did not trust Lucas and you have found out why. My father sent Reega to steal the stone, this she did, but her troll was killed.”
“And Jorgul?”
“We goblins knew of your existence, of your meeting with an elven maiden. There is a prophecy stating that one day a werewolf will unite with a female elf and bring about peace and prosperity after rescuing the rune stone from destruction. Lucas told my father that it was a lie, as werewolves and elves could not mate.”
He stared at her, open-mouthed, after seconds passed he said, “You knew about me and Jennifer?”
She smiled and said, “Of course, we have our spies everywhere.”
His mouth fell open once more and he said, “The shoe shop assistant, and the smelly youth at the fair, they were goblins?”
“Yes, some of our many spies amongst the humans, the shop assistant saw you both as you hovered above the floor, not so much that everyone would notice, but he did. He also overheard the conversation between you and your mother, so we put two and two together.”
“Where did Jorgul fit into all this?”
“My father confided in me, he repeated what Lucas told him, the whereabouts of the rune stone and the names of the keepers, the Townsend family. I knew Jennifer would try to retrieve the rune stone if Reega stole it, and she would not try to without you, as you and she were bound by fate. I knew you would seek the help of the werewolves, and Jorgul saw the opportunity to intercept Reega and take the rune stone from her, he and I were going to use it to bargain with.”
“Bargain for what?”
“Peace and a better future.”
She raised her arms and turned full circle, displaying herself in her black uniform. He remembered it was the same one she wore that day at the station.
Her voice rang out, “You see me now as we once were. I believe the curse cast upon us by the witch Ragniss is fading, and that one day, in time, we will change back to what we were before. I told my family of this and they disagreed, all except Jorgul. As it happens, you and I are at the point were I would have been demanding what you are now offering if things had gone our way.” She paused then said quietly, “And the battle on the lake might never have happened.”
He added, “And Jorgul, my dear friend John, might have been alive today.”
Tears rolled down his cheeks. Her mouth fell open, she gasped, “You cry for him!” She fell to her knees and said, “Your compassion gives me strength, Lord Silvermoon. From this day on, my people and I will do whatever you command.”
He wiped his face and pulled her one-handed to her feet and embraced her. “I am not your lord, Princess Raylin, I am your friend, your brother was my friend, and that is why I weep.”
“Were you there at his demise?”
“Yes, he almost killed Ingrid, a human friend of ours, we found her in time, brought her to safety and then we pursued him. We killed him along with Reega.”
“Yes, I heard of their deaths, Reega has paid for her mistake.” She sighed heavily, “Your friend may have discovered Jorgul’s real self, and he must have panicked, he was rather old, his time was nearing and his judgement must have failed him.”
They both turned to the entrance as Helga came through. Seawan was with her and they all bowed to one another. Helga smiled and said, “Princess Raylin, let us all return to the place where Chanteline lay, there we can, with the help of the elves and the support of the werewolves, work something out, for I believe Chanteline has many powers, and Jason and I will find a way to return your people to what they were before.”
Chapter nineteen.
Chanteline.
One week later a great host gathered outside the Townsend house. To our eyes they would have appeared like any other crowd, but they were Elves and half-elves, werewolves and halflings, and goblins in human form. They watched in silence as Helga, Derek, Silvern, Seawan, Jason and Jennifer entered the house. The trolls, for obvious reasons, stayed hidden in the woods on the other side of the river.
With Helga leading them they took the stairway to the cellar. They entered the vault and Helga laid herself down inside the sarcophagus. Jason and Jennifer lifted the stone slab and set it in place. Silvern set the lamp used to light their way, down by the doorway and placed the rune stone on its stand on top of Helga’s resting place.
Jason, standing at the head of the stone coffin, placed his hand on top of the rune stone and the others formed a half-circle behind him. The stone glowed, first dully, and then frighteningly bright, forcing all present to screw their eyes shut, all that is, except Jason.
The lamp by the doorway dimmed and a ghostly figure appeared before him, standing at the other end of the stone coffin. The figure took shape, it was a young woman dressed from head to foot in a shimmering silver gown, and her eyes were silver too. She smiled and said. “I am Chanteline; this planet is now my home. You, Silvermoon, are the chosen one amongst the wolf people, you share your life with an elf, her grace has mingled with yours, you can hear her thoughts, and she yours. Soon you will be able to hear your son’s thoughts as he speaks to you from the womb. Yes, Jason Silvermoon Longfellow, you are to be a father.
She paused then continued in a serious tone, “My sister Helga told me she had a special request, to release the goblins from their curse.”
She came closer and took Jason’s hand, he gasped, her skin was col
d, like ice, she placed his hand against her breast and took an enormous breath. When she breathed out again ice crystals formed in the air, filling the entire room. Then the brightness changed to darkness and her voice rang out, “Now we come to the time of forgiveness, the time of change. The mountain elves are no longer goblins, their trolls are cattle once more, and they can return to their northern lands once again…” Her voice trailed off and Jason heard another one.
He heard Jennifer speaking to him, “Jason, Jason wake up.”
He felt her hand slapping his cheek gently, he took hold of it and asked her, “Did you hear any of that?”
“Yes, we heard the voice of Chanteline. How sad, all those years of fighting, killing and dying. At last we can live in peace once more.”
He picked up the rune stone and gave it to her. “It is time to show ourselves.”
Jennifer walked out into the sunlight and held up Chanteline, a great roar rose from the crowd and she heard her name, “Lavendel, Lavendel.”
Jason came to her side and they called his name too, “Silvermoon, Silvermoon.”
Princess Raylin came forward, Jason stared at her, her hair was fair, her features were no longer waxen, and her eyes, a sparkling green, crinkled as she smiled. She lifted her hair away from her ear, which was now oval. He said, “You are truly an elf, Princess Raylin.”
She came near and said, “Silvermoon, Lavendel, my name is now Rosetta. My people and I are indebted to you. We will now return to our homelands and the dwarves will accompany us. We miss the mountains, but we will mine no more, we will be shepherds, we will raise goats and sell our produce, but not for gold, that I promise.”
Jason sniffed the air, “I can smell roses.”
Rosetta said, “That is me, hence the name.”
He looked at Jennifer. “But of course, Lavendel – Lavender, that is why I can smell Lavender when you are near.”
Jennifer resisted an eye-roll and kissed him on the cheek then said to Rosetta, “Chanteline has given you all long-life. We will visit you one day if you so wish and we can talk about our children and discuss their future.”
Tears of joy rolled down their cheeks and they embraced briefly. Rosetta brushed the tears away with her fingers and said, “And we will rejoice at your coming.”
As Jennifer dried her tears, Ingrid pushed her way through the crowd, “Jason, Jason, have you seen Derek, he has changed, look at him.”
They saw a familiar face approaching, a much younger one than the one they first saw in the Welsh hills not long ago. Derek came to them and they saw Julia, her features had also altered, the middle-aged couple were young once more, and Derek asked them, “What has happened to us, is this long-life?”
Jennifer’s mouth fell open, “Oh my goodness, Chanteline has granted everyone here today with long-life,” she looked at Ingrid, “You too it seems.”
Lionel, standing beside Ingrid, caught her as she fainted.
Yvette appeared and said as the poor girl regained her wits, “Welcome to the club, Ingrid, dear sister,” then she turned and pointed towards the river as a herd of highland cattle crossed the ford and headed towards them, “Oh look, here come the trolls.”
Epilogue.
Jason Townsend-Longfellow.
Nine months to the day of Jason and Jennifer’s wedding, their son arrived. It was a normal enough birth with Jason attending. A great relief after ten fingernail-biting hours of waiting.
With all the grandparents present at the christening, Jason told them, “We have decided to name him John, after a friend of whom I knew very little, lost in conflict, but will never be forgotten.”
Jason passed his final examination and became a Vetinary surgeon. His parents returned to France with Yvette and Lionel where she continued her studies and became a solicitor.
The Longfellow’s extended their farmland.
Jason built a house not far from Crow’s hill, there followed other births and Jason and his family bred sheep, for wool and milk and he took over from the local Vetinary surgeon when he retired.
Rosetta visited them with her family. She brought with her a small herd of goats and left with one of the Townsend-Longfellow’s prize rams and six ewes.
Ingrid brought her parents and Reginald to visit them, she didn’t tell them that Jason was a werewolf and his wife an elf, for she believed that if she did so they would have her institutionalized.
Yvette arrived with Lionel and three sets of twins, and left with two pairs of alpacas.
And there the story ends…
Well, almost…
Jessie.
I came home late due to the storm, which had come as a surprise in the late afternoon. The thunder and lightning had scattered the sheep far and wide.
After rounding up the last of the stragglers with Jessica, Johnny, Julio, and Jolie - Jessie’s offspring, I herded them into the barn and sent the dogs to their kennels. I had to move on to my step-parents farm, Mum had telephoned Jennifer and she told me in her usual fashion.
I rode over on Aries, and as soon as I entered the old farmhouse I knew why I had been summoned, and Dad confirmed it by saying, “She’s sleeping now,” and as I entered the room I sensed her joy at seeing me.
We laid her to rest the next day in a pine box beneath the apple tree. Dad laid a stone over her grave. “Beloved Jessie” was inscribed there. He told me he had chiselled it out himself a while ago.
The fox came the next evening, old and tired-looking, walking slowly past us as we sat on the veranda. He went straight to her grave and lay down beside it. I walked over to him and he turned his head towards me. I stroked his grey-flecked fur and scratched him gently behind the ears and I sensed his joy, then he laid his head on his paws and like Jessie, closed his eyes for the last time.
Now there are two graves beneath the apple tree.
End.
Further books by T. J. Edison and Ellen Dudley available on Amazon.com.
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The Only Solution. A novelette.
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The Amazing World of Kathleen Higgs-Taylor.
Steampunk Sci-Fi, Crime, Mystery, with a female Goth character.
Book one.
Acts of Murder. Hugo Brent, police criminal adviser and his assistant, criminologist and scientist, Kathleen Higgs-Taylor assist the police in a woman’s mock suicide that turns out to be murder. They are called to a second death, only to find that their suspect is the husband of the murdered woman.
Book Two.
The second tale of Kate and Hugo as they help with the investigation of a brutal murder in "The Case of the Left-handed Killer" in which a woman admits to being the sole user of the murder weapon, after which, Kathleen and Hugo are faced with another death -- was it an accident or suicide?
Then another death occurs followed by a murder attempt...
Kate and Hugo have their work cut out this time with too many suspects and no motive.
Book Three.
The Diamond Murders. A neat and tidy serial killer preys on prostitutes, leaving them with a diamond ring as compensation. The main suspect makes a strange confession to a newspaper and then another suspect turns up.
Steampunk.
Sci-fi, crime thriller adventure into the past and the future.
Book one. The Scientist’s Granddaughter. The Adventuress.
Doctor Emmanuelle Jones awakes mentally from a shocking experience, the memory of her early life, and her strange abilities, slowly reach the surface as she is forced to fend for herself when she takes on her parent's roll as consultant detective by the Bradfield and London police.
One of her first two cases leads her on a journey, one that she never expected even in her wildest dreams after discoverin
g one of her grandfather's experiments, left to her after his death. She tries to change the past and ends up meeting a famous artist, after which she sets out to catch a murderer from the future.
Book Two. The Scientists Granddaughters. The Escapades of Emmanuelle and Wilhelmina Jones.
Emmanuelle continues on her journey back in time once more on the trail of an elusive murderer together with her twin, Wilhelmina; one that takes them back and forth through time. On their travels they meet up with the mysterious Amy and Bella Cauldar who assist them in their quest to prevent a world catastrophe.
Silvermoon. A Tale of a Young Werewolf. A YA Novel. 12-18 Page 17