The Tessellation Saga. Book Two. 'The One'

by D. J. Ridgway

  ‘Whoa, the ground be moving,’ he wailed as his feet found the wet ground and he stood shakily, young Jed grabbed his arm to help steady him and Mayan called over as the lad found his land legs once more.

  ‘Look,’ she shouted over the noise of the rain and pointing at the great oak, standing as it ever did, a sentinel guarding the village and its people, its branches reaching out across the roadway and providing a little shelter to the standing horses. ‘Look at the tree.’ She called again.

  Still slightly unsteady from his long confinement in the box, Gideon hurried, supported by young Jed, to where the girls and the elder twins were gathering under the dry covering of the oak’s boughs. Once his father was happy that Gideon could walk unaided, he pulled the horses deeper under the natural shelter as the rain continued to lash down. The heavy clouds made the day seem dark, as if night were about to fall instead of before noon as everyone knew it to be. Mayan stood quietly, her back to the broad trunk her fists curled tightly at her sides, her clothes were wet and dishevelled and her hair hung down her face like a bedraggled curtain.

  ‘Will yer look?’ She pleaded as she moved aside to show the others the notice she had seen nailed fast into the tree’s wide bole, the inscription said…

  GREEN HOME VILLAGE HAS BEEN CLOSED

  RAZED FOR TREASON

  By Order of the King.

  ‘Because of me,’ whispered Gideon, his joy at his release from the box short lived.

  ‘No lad, because of Gath.’ Varan replied, drawing the boy away from the poster and tearing it down.

  ‘Come we must go, we shouldn’t shelter under a tree in a storm,’ added Sonal as he motioned to Jed to take the horses back out into the rain.

  ‘Ow can I ‘elp ‘im Sonal?’ He asked his friend, his heart breaking at the pain so evident in his son. ‘Mayhap I should o’ let ‘im go with ‘is ma…,’ he whispered. Sonal stopped abruptly and pulled Jed round to face him.

  ‘Don’t say that; don’t ever say that, this isn’t your fault any more than it’s his. Never say that, never… never!’ He said again emphatically as he turned abruptly and began to walk toward the village once more.

  The others, walking a little behind Gideon’s father and Sonal saw and heard nothing but the relentless rain as it continued to fall, crashing into the frozen ground and bouncing high as if trying to reach the sky once more. Puddles were rapidly forming as the waterlogged ground refused to absorb more and only the sound of the wind driven rain hitting the trees and the branches crashing together above them was audible as the company made its way silently to the village that was once home to most of them. They walked on, each lost in their own thoughts.

  Finally, as the friends stood silently in front of the Green Home Inn, the rain stopped just as abruptly as it had begun, the inn itself looked to be the only habitable building in the square and not a soul was in sight. Burnt and blackened shells stood crumbling around them and a sour sooty smell permeated the air

  ‘Ello, is anybody ‘ere?’ Young Jed called as his twin stood beside him as white as a sheet, staring at her home with tears filling her eyes.

  ‘Why would they leave jus’ the inn…?’ Mayan whispered as the tears fell.

  ‘Jed...,’ Sonal called to Gideon’s father as he was about to follow the younger twins into the inn. ‘Jed, come here…’ Sonal said again urgently. Jed turned to see Sonal squatting beside a bundle of rags on the far edge of the green. He walked back down the steps and made his way over the trampled wet mud and grass to his friend, as he drew closer, he could see what the pile was.

  ‘Selda..., Tom...,’ his voice broke as his knees gave way and he fell to the ground kneeling in the mud, ‘Tom…’, he whispered, his onetime friend’s face, bruised but wet and clean, was lying in a puddle staring sightlessly up at the grey sky.

  “By the Journey’ why, all of it… why?’ He said looking up at Sonal, his home, his village and his friends were all gone, the truth of the scene suddenly hit him hard. With tears running down his face and his throat burning, Jed roared in fury before leaning forward and gently closing Tom’s eyes. Sonal placed a hand on his shoulder and opened his mouth to speak just as a piercing scream emanated from the inn. ‘Mayan…!’ Jed exclaimed, hastily wiping his face as he jumped up to follow Sonal, who was running back toward the inn.

  Inside, they found Mayan sobbing loudly in Gideon’s arms, young Jed throwing up in a corner and Lemba crying large silent tears. On the floor of the parlour, where the villagers had danced and where the three youngsters had played as children, lay the near naked body of a girl, her head burst open with blood and brain matter rotting amidst the insects feeding on both it and the congealed blood between her legs.

  ‘By the Journey!’ exclaimed Jed, whilst Sonal hastily removed his wet cloak and threw it over the distressing sight.

  ‘It’s Bea… it’s Bea,’ cried Mayan, sobbing and holding her face fast against Gideon’s broad chest.

  ‘Gid, take the twins and Lemba, go into the kitchen,’ said Gideon’s father as he gently gathered the corpse into his arms, ‘Sonal, Varan and I will deal with this,’ he added sadly.

  He cradled Bea’s soft, cold body and sighed, realising by the lack of rigor that she had been dead for quite a while. The older twins followed him out of the inn and onto the green where he placed her body gently beside those of Selda and his friend Tom. He stared at the senseless scene unable to find reason for the deaths, Bea, whose smile had been like sunshine, Selda, once so full of love and compassion and then Tom. Tears rolled down his face once more as in his mind, Jed saw Tom as the man he once was, young and full of life, laughing at himself as he walked Jed home the night of the fire, the night his wife Mayan and their son had died, Tom, who had refused to forgive himself.

  ‘You were always me friend Tom, an’ I never blamed yer...’ he whispered with tears in his eyes.

  Linking arms Sonal and Varan began to sing, softly and plaintively. Jed stood and watched the earth as it loosened and opened, flowing up and out of the ground like water and the bodies of Bea and his friends sank softly to their rest beneath the welcoming blanket of darkness. As the soil finally covered them, Jed sank to his knees on the hard ground once more and rested his chin on his chest. As the song ended the elder twins began to speak, one after the other and Jed, whispering, joined them.

  ‘May yer be blessed on yer Journey, me friends’, an’ not judge too ‘arshly,’ he said quietly wiping a tear from his eye.

  ‘Blessed on your journey…,’ he heard echoed behind him. Turning around, Jed saw the others had joined him. Slowly, Varan, Rhoàld and Lemba moved quietly leaving the last inhabitants of Green Home Village to mourn their dead.

  Chapter 23

  Blue

  The next morning, after eating and collecting a few essentials, the group moved on toward the forest with a sombre mood still hanging over them. Despite Rhoàld and the younger members of the group now wearing clean, dry clothing, gleaned from the various bed chambers at the inn, all were worried and uncomfortable with what had happened at the village and it was not until they turned into the lane that led to Sonal’s home, that their spirits raised once more.

  Blue appeared. The silver wolf pranced and played like a puppy, clearly pleased to see Jed with Gideon and the men climbed down from their horses to greet the creature. It stood on its hind legs with its front paws on their shoulders in turn, licking ferociously until both men climbed back onto their mounts, the horses themselves stood firm but wild eyed and trembling as the wolf gambolled around them. The group could not help but be cheered and Lemba, at first afraid of the wolf that was bigger than she was soon delighted in its antics as it rolled and raced, darting off as she leant down from her horse to stroke it and coming close as she sat up once more. Rhoàld was clearly terrified, Blue constantly went to him to sniff inquisitively and refused to be put off, as in vain Rhoàld tried to shoo him away.

  ‘Ok, Blue I be mighty pleased ter see you too,’ Jed laughed as he
pushed the hairy wolf away for the umpteenth time.

  Briefly, the company stopped at the cottage Sonal had called home for so many years and Varan, on seeing Sonal’s garishly coloured and decorated legerdemains’ cloak laughed aloud.

  ‘You always did want to be a famous magician Sonal,’ he said, as he placed the cloak on the bed.

  ‘It was a good life …for a while...,’ Sonal replied, retrieving his grandfather’s book and stuffing the cloak and its box back under the bed.

  Quickly the older twins changed into some of Sonal’s clean clothing and leaving the house walked around it carefully creating wards of protection. Finally finished, the elder twins re-joined their companions in the lane looking like two peas from the same pod.

  ‘It was so much easier when yer looked like yersel’,’ grumbled Jed, as he walked his horse next to Sonal.

  ‘I still look like myself, Jed,’ exclaimed Sonal a puzzled expression on his face.

  ‘Yer, but now yer looks like Varan too.’ Jed said with finality and Varan, walking on Sonal’s other side smiled at Jed’s confusion.

  ‘It’s easy to tell us apart Jed... I’m the handsome one’, he laughed as Sonal punched his brother on the arm. Jed, on catching the punch out of the corner of his eye grinned.

  ‘I’ll bet yer played some motley tricks on yer folks when yer was little,’ he laughed and reddened abruptly, realising how he had alluded to Sonal’s tale of his twin vanishing behind a barrier and of the guardians. Sonal reached out to his friend understanding the reason for his embarrassment.

  ‘Jed, it’s all right…’ he said, looking at his brother and adding, ‘and yes, we had lots of fun as children.’

  ‘We all live by the ‘Journey’s Will’ Jed.’ Varan added softly.

  ‘Journeys will…,’ repeated Jed as he thought of the long and often painful road he himself had walked since he was a child. ‘Yeah,’ he said, ‘Journeys will,’ and he walked his horse on in silence as a light rain began to fall once more.

  The sky was still dark and full of cloud as they entered the forest and under the diverse canopy of both deciduous and evergreen trees, the air smelt fresh and washed clean. To Varan, Rhoàld and Lemba it felt quiet and just a little strange. Bright yellow forsythia bushes were flowering, making their leafless stems heavy, the bark of the silver birch, white, patchy and flaked with brown curls of bark, sat with the evergreen pines and huge oaks. Ivy grew in abundance, curling around the great boles and along branches of every tree, each bright green or dark yellow leaf showing its face to the light, each leaf eager to see the sun. Underfoot the ground was soft and earthy despite the recent frosts, with pine needles and cones from all manner of coniferous trees paving the way for the small party, now mostly quiet and thoughtful once more. Rhoàld wondered at the variety of growth and flowering shrubs for the time of year but the thought was lost as Varan spoke in alarm.

  ‘I can no longer feel you Sonal.’ He said abruptly.

  ‘Yer won’t not in ‘ere,’ young Jed answered before Sonal could reply, adding, ‘Mayan an’ I ‘ave never been able to do the twin thing whilst we’re ‘ere.’ Varan looked at Jed in puzzlement, a twin himself and of the blood, he had always been able to feel Sonal’s whereabouts, until of course, he disappeared behind the barrier and he had lost him. He also knew that while Mayan and young Jed were also twins they were not born of the blood, so it surprised him that they were gifted in this way too, a magic he had thought solely belonging to the ancients. The path narrowed, forcing him to walk behind his brother and he resolved to ask about it at a more convenient time.

  It seemed only moments later that they arrived at Jed’s cottage deep inside the confines of the forest and were sitting beside a roaring fire. Blue, was acting strangely, pacing up and down and unable to settle.

  ‘Lay down Blue or go out,’ exclaimed an exasperated Jed, as he opened the front door and gestured to the wolf, the wolf turned its back on the open door with an expression of distaste on its muzzle and walked to the fire, plopping himself down on the rug with its back to the door. ‘Well, at least yer made a decision.’ Jed laughed.

  The enormous pressure the entire group had been under over the past few weeks showed in their individual faces and they all looked clearly exhausted.

  ‘We be safe ‘ere,’ Jed sighed as he broke open a bottle or two of his favourite wine and proceeded to pour it into various glasses and cups enough for all.

  ‘Yes, for the time being,’ replied Varan, accepting a pewter tankard from his friend, smiling wryly at the choice of receptacle and looking to young Jed. Speaking solemnly he said, ‘Jed lad, as I promised the time for explanations has arrived and you have been very patient but…I don’t think anyone would benefit from any explanation just now,’ he looked pointedly at the sleepy folk around him. Sonal also looked at the assembled company.

  ‘Gideon, how do you feel?’ He asked the boy sitting on the rug in front of the fire, his arms and upper body lying across the silver wolf.

  ‘Now me ‘ead feels jus’ fine, but I’m really tired… can we talk in t’ mornin’?’ He asked, yawning widely.

  ‘Yeah boy, finish yer wine an’ go ter yer bed,’ said his father making the decision for the entire company. ‘We should all go ter bed; the hay in the barn is clean and soft, leastways t’was when we were last ‘ome. We’ll talk in the mornin’ ...the tales can all be told in the mornin’.’ He added with conviction as he stood and opened the cottage door, ‘I s’pect the girlies would prefer the beds though Gid,’ he smiled, as he took the empty cup from his son and ushered him through the door.

  So the company broke up, each to beds they knew or to the barn where the hay, as predicted by Gideon’s father was warm, dry and clean. Blue, without looking back, loped off slowly and disappeared under the rich dark canopy of trees and young Jed, anxious as he was to learn what was driving them all fell asleep at last, his mind too weary to stay awake past a cursory good night to his fellow travellers.

  The next morning a succession of men threaded their way down the banks of the stream beside to house to wash. Jed heated water for the girls to bathe in privacy inside the cottage and both were feeling much more refreshed but Lemba could not help being embarrassed as Mayan stared at the still colourful collection of bruises adorning her body. Mayan had not said a word but looked sorrowfully at her new friend as she also dressed, Lemba smiled as she saw the tears in Mayan’s eyes and wished she could tell her they were better now and she was happy, despite all they were going through. She took her friends hand to convey her feelings and held it as they sat with their hair loose and drying beside the fire. Rhoàld entering the room picked up a brush and stood behind them brushing the deep silver-blond and rich red-gold tresses lovingly.

  Young Jed, knowing he was about to be told why his life and that of his family had changed so dramatically over the past few months was as nervous as a kitten and lingered back with Gideon. The fate of his family and that of the villagers was paramount in his mind, after all, last night the older twins confirmed that they at least, were all safe for the time being, but what of the others, Jed thought, what of me fam’ly? He stood watching Gideon as he walked toward the stream with a large bucket to collect fresh wash water, just as he had so many times in the past. He was still tired, his eyes felt as if they were full of grit and were watering at every opportunity, ashamed he was about to cry, he shook his head and called out.

  ‘Wait fer me then Gid,’ he said as he passed Varan and Sonal making their way back to the cottage, having finished their own ablutions. On reaching the bank, he stripped off to wash in the icy cold water just as Sonal and Varan entered the cottage. In his peripheral vision, he saw Blue, as fast as quicksilver dart in ahead of them and a feeling of foreboding grew inside him. Again, he began to ponder the fate of his family and as dark depression attempted to claim him, freezing cold water fell over his naked back; Gideon stood beside the stream trying not to laugh an empty dripping bucket in his hand.

  ‘
It slipped,’ he said innocently.

  ‘Aaaawwww!’ Jed shouted as he leapt after his brother ensuring Gideon was to be as wet and cold as he was himself. Time stopped and worries disappeared as the two played like the children they had been when they had first entered these very waters so long ago.

  ‘JED,’ a familiar warm fuzzy feeling disturbed Gideon’s father as he grilled pancakes for breakfast. ‘JED, COME NOW.’ Sonal, entering the cottage after his brother and the racing wolf was chatting amicably as he sat at one of the kitchen benches, he stopped mid-sentence and looked from Jed to the wolf.

  ‘What the…?’ He said softly, shaking his head. The wolf immediately turned its deep piercing gaze on Sonal, its beautiful blue eyes almost the same shade as Sonal’s own. Sonal began to feel the warm fuzzy glow he had felt once before as the wolf had stared at him.

  ‘Are you trying to talk to me boy?’ He smiled and stretched out his hand to scratch behind its ears. Sonal’s head felt warm and fuzzy as if he had had just a little too much to drink.

  ‘What is it boy?’ He asked the wolf, as he looked deeply into the animal’s eyes and continued to scratch. Jed remained oblivious as he cracked eggs into a pan, his back turned away from the scene.

  ‘Sonal…,’ began Varan exasperated as he tried to get Sonal to finish his conversation. ‘Sonal…,’ his irritation died as he watched the wolf and his brother staring intently into each other’s faces. If anything, it’s the wolf that is looking frustrated; he thought and reached over smiling indulgently now as he touched Sonal on the arm to regain his attention. Immediately both men started, as if an electric current had run throughout their entire bodies and shocked them both, while a piercing yell sounded in their heads. Varan released his brother and stepped back knocking into Jed who was cooking, the pancakes he was preparing flopped out of the pan and into the fire sending coals, sparks and ash scuttling across the hearth.