by Roz Marshall
The boy's face had gone properly red now. "He's only just arrived. I forget."
Corinne read the nameplate and her hand flew to her mouth. "Myrddin," she whispered.
Gavin beamed, his discomfiture forgotten. "Oh, is that how you say it?"
"Yes." Corinne returned to Ghost's stable and rubbed his nose absent-mindedly, hair falling over her face.
Phemie gave her a quizzical look.
"I—uh—met someone with that name the other day," the girl muttered.
Phemie raised her eyebrows. "It's no' a common name. If I remember rightly, it's a Celtic version o' the name Merlin."
"Aye." Gavin picked up a broom and swept up some strands of hay that had fallen from Gwyllin's stable. "I mind now. They're frae a Welsh hill-farm whose owner died."
That made sense. "Right. There's legends about Merlin in Wales. And Cornwall. But we've got our Scots legends too, just not so well-known." She tried to recollect the details. "If memory serves, we have him as a mystic from the Borders. Near Melrose."
Corinne was looking at Phemie as if the old lady had grown two heads. "How…" Then she seemed to realise that her question could appear rude, and faltered to a stop.
With a wry smile, Phemie helped her out. "In the past I—eh—read a lot of myths and legends. Bit of a—eh—hobby of mine, for a while."
Nodding slowly, Corinne turned to Ghost and gave him one last pat. "Thank you for taking me to visit him, Miss Irving. Are you still okay to drop me at the café in town afterwards?"
-::-
Settling back into the sim chair and adjusting her headset, Corinne swallowed, trying to raise some moisture for her dry mouth. Now that she knew what the game could do—where it could lead—she didn't feel the same pleasant anticipation when she visited the sim café. Instead, it was like she mentally donned armour to protect her frail human body from the magical creatures in the faerie realm. She took a deep breath and flicked the start button.
As the game credits faded to black, the Feyland environment rezzed around her. Good. She was at the Chessaig trees where she'd left Myrddin last time.
A throat cleared behind her, and she whirled round, reaching for her bow.
Somehow, magically, the wizard was there, as if he'd been waiting for her. "Well met, my lady."
She smiled at him. "Hi, Myrddin. Or is it Merl—"
"No!" His voice boomed like a peal of thunder rolling across distant mountains, the lines around his mouth etched like crevasses on a glacier. "Do not speak that name here." His face softened. "Here, I am Myrddin."
"O—okay. Sorry." She felt stupid. He'd never help her now.
But she was wrong. With a swirl of his cloak, Myrddin summoned the two faerie horses they'd ridden from the Bright Court. "Come. Let us go and find your friend Elphin."
-::-
Pulling his horse to a halt beside a mushroom ring that looked rather familiar to Corinne, Myrddin pointed through the trees. "You will find the one you seek by the pool."
Corinne jumped off her horse, landing on the mossy grass of the clearing. Now that she'd finally made it back into Feyland and was about to see Elphin again, butterflies danced in her stomach.
What if Elphin was annoyed at her for not saving him, or not helping him sooner? Or what if the witch was waiting by the stream again in her glamorous form? Perhaps she can shape-shift to look like Elphin? Corinne's insides turned to ice at the thought. How would I even tell?
She peered nervously down the path. "W—what if the witch is there?"
The grey wizard's nostrils flared. On his perch atop the black stallion, he looked fierce, like a metallic battle-mage come to life. Which he sort-of is, I suppose.
Muttering under his breath, Myrddin's sleeve billowed as his staff traced a figure-of-eight in the air, the crystal at its tip pointing in the direction of the waterfall. "There!" he announced when the incantation was finished, and turned to face her. "I have set a ward. You will be safe now."
"Thank—" She caught his look, and stopped short, remembering her research last night. No thank-yous in the faerie realm. "You are too kind."
Taking her leave of the wizard, she strode down the path, winding her way between the silvery birches and majestic pine trees of the faerie wood. But once out of sight, she pulled the bow from her shoulder and nocked an arrow. Just in case. Not that she didn't believe Myrddin was a powerful wizard. But the witch had said she had powerful magic too, and Corinne didn't intend to get caught out by her this time.
CHAPTER 8
MOMENTS LATER, CORINNE crept through the last few bushes and emerged into the clearing by the blue pool.
Her heart flipped with relief. He's okay.
Sauntering down the path beside the stream was a familiar figure, humming a happy tune. Wearing a tattered tunic and battered old boots, his brown skin was wrinkled and leathery, his coarse hair the colour of burnt umber. But his eyes were kind—even if they glowed orange like fiery amber. He swung a wooden spade in time with his ditty, as if it was a walking stick.
"Elphin!" Without thinking, she raced towards him, until the look of consternation on his face pulled her up short. "Is everything okay?"
-::-
At the sight of the fierce banshee with a bow and arrow pointed at his heart, Elphin froze. Why had he not learned to sword-fight, or cast fire spells, instead of wasting his time on healing herbs? Here in the faerie realm, he needed to be able to protect himself from the otherworldly creatures with designs on his life. Altruistic ambitions to be a healer or a minstrel would not save his life if he was cornered by a monster.
But then the apparition stopped and spoke, and the veil lifted from his eyes.
It was Corinne. His Corinne. Come back to him again. Not an otherworldly warrior.
A smile split his face, and he leaned on his spade. "Welcome back."
-::-
As Elphin turned his smile on her, Corinne felt suddenly awkward. She found herself staring at his mouth. He has nice teeth. Really nice teeth. Somehow she'd have expected them to be pointy. Or yellow or something.
Then she realised he was waiting for her to reply. Say something! "Uh, sorry it took me so long to find you. I tried, but I… got waylaid. Were you okay, after the wolf…" She felt stupid again. Obviously he was okay. He was there on his own two feet, smiling at her. She glanced at his spade. "What have you been up to?
-::-
She looked sweet when she was embarrassed. A word from the distant past floated into Elphin's brain. Cute, even.
In his previous life, back in Scotland, he would have taken her discomposure as a sign… But this is the faerie realm, and here, things are never as they seem. He should be cautious with his heart, and sparing with his feelings.
He followed her gaze to the wooden implement he leaned on. "Working for Urisk. He helped me, healed me, after…" The look on her face told him that she remembered only too well about the wolf. He lifted his chin. "I got the Bright King to release me from my bond to… her." He could not bring himself say the witch's name. "But I have to work for Urisk instead." Do not tell her that it was her fault I have to work for him, because of killing that kelpie.
She bit her lip. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"'Tis alright. 'Tis warmer here. And Urisk is kinder than the witch."
"Yes. I met her. She disguised herself as Karlin and tried to get me to work for her, instead of you."
"She did?" His throat constricted at the thought. "Forgive me."
"It's okay. But that's why I couldn't come sooner. And then a wizard helped me to escape." Her face brightened. "I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried about you."
She was worried about me. His spirits soared. Could she be starting to care? Might he finally escape his enchantment and return home, to the life he once knew and the family he loved?
He quashed his excitement. He had been hopeful before, and it had got him nowhere. Better to be cautious. Better safe than sorry.
CHAPTER 9
EL
PHIN'S FACE HAD changed, now he was no longer working for the witch. It was smoother. Lighter. Like he was somehow younger. Or less worried. "So what are you doing for Urisk? "
"Planting, and tending his crops. He is growing herbs and medicinal plants. He wants to become Healer to the Bright King."
Corinne tilted her head encouragingly. "Really?"
"Here—let me show you."
Elphin turned and led her down the path beside the stream. Unlike the last time she'd walked this path on the arm of the monosyllabic kelpie, Elphin kept her interested by describing the plants and trees, pointing out a deeper pool where he liked to fish for brown trout, or a stout tree branch where he would perch and watch the roe deer as they drank. Rather than creepy, this time the stream seemed more magical, and she was almost disappointed when the path opened out onto Urisk's meadow.
Surveying the level ground with its serried rows of shoots and shrubs, she could see a difference in the planting, even in the short time since she'd been here. Or perhaps not such a short time. Perhaps Feyland time is like Matrix Time. Slower.
Elphin started to show her round, describing the herbs and their medicinal properties, or the leaves that could be dried and used as an infusion. Wintergreen for pain, chamomile for insomnia, peppermint for indigestion. He seems very knowledgeable. Perhaps he could explain more about the faerie realm.
"Elphin, you know how I said I was playing a game—Feyland—and the unicorn followed me into real life?"
He quirked his head.
"Well, the other day after you saved me from the kelpie and then the wolf attacked us, I got logged out—" At his questioning look she explained further, "—the game stopped, and I was back in real life. In the sim café—remember?"
"Yes, I remember, with the VR rig." He pronounced it funny.
"Yes. But I was still holding my bow and arrow. From here. In real life."
His brow furrowed. "Your bow and arrow?" He indicated the weapon in her hand.
"Yes." She took a deep breath. "This isn't a game, is it? It's fairyland. The faerie realm. And you're not a character in a game, are you? You live here."
There was a long pause, and a thousand thoughts seemed to flit across his strange features. "Yes," he said, eventually, "I live here." But his expression said that he wished he didn't.
Now that she was looking at him as a person, not a character in a game, Corinne could see that there was a deep sadness about him. And pain etched in the lines of his face. Her heart twisted. What was his story? Why was he here?
"Tell me more about your life. About the Realm. Tell me about the creatures here. What kind of being are you? What about Cailleach? And Urisk?" All the questions buzzing around in her brain came spilling out at once.
He laughed and held up his hands. "One question at a time, my lady!"
"Well, tell me about yourself then—" she stopped short as an orange light started flashing in the bottom corner of her screen. Two minutes left.
"Oh no—I'm going to get logged out. This new sim café must have modded the rig to put a timer in. I've only two minutes left! I need to get to a mushroom ring."
"Follow me." He immediately caught the urgency in her voice, and led her down a different path.
"How could my credit have run out so soon? It feels like I've only just got here."
"Time runs differently in the faerie realm. Days can be like minutes, minutes can last hours."
Matrix time. She knew that. Stupid question. Ask him something better. Something important. "Tell me quickly. How can I learn more?" At his quizzical look, she added, "About the Realm. About life here."
His orange eyebrows drew together. "Do you still have libraries in your world?"
"Yes." The light was flashing quicker. She started to jog.
"You can learn many things from books of the past; from studying folklore and the legends of the fey."
"Like a school project?"
"You could think of it like that."
The light flashed more quickly. She was about to get kicked out of the game.
What would happen if she wasn't at a mushroom portal when that happened? Would she be stuck here in the realm?
Panic drove her feet faster and she raced the last few metres to the faerie ring.
Jumping in just as the timer clicked to zero, the last thing she saw was Elphin's worried face. Her "Goodbye" faded and echoed like a cry on the wind.
-::-
Hidden behind the gnarled trunk of an ancient rowan, Myrddin peered through a veil of silvery leaves as the mortal archer approached the mushroom ring and disappeared, leaving only a shimmer and sparkle in the air, like a trail of pixie dust. Back to her real world. He grimaced. Back to safety.
Left behind was the strange ugly creature, the friend she had sought. Elphin. But there was an air about him, this misshapen man with skin like leather and hair like straw, as if it was a guise and he was out-of-place. Like he was in this world, but not really a part of it.
Much like myself.
Something had drawn Myrddin here, back to the heather-clad hills and ancient pine forests, back to the courts of the Celtic fey, back to this enchanted land with its portals to the country of his birth. Something uncanny had pulled at him. Something that niggled and itched.
Something from the deep, dark past.
And after such a long—such a very long—sojourn out in the further reaches of the faerie realm, he had not thought to see this day. But he had a feeling in his bones. A suspicion about the girl—and her mis-formed friend. A sense of portent, of history—or legend—in the making; and a sense that the ancient prophecies were suddenly more than just dusty words in an well-thumbed book.
Could it be time?
With a swirl of his cloak, he straightened his back and turned away, deep in thought.
-::-
Corinne jumped into the passenger seat of their silver car. "Hi, Mum. Thanks for picking me up."
"That's okay, dear. How was the new café?"
"Okay I guess. They've got a mod on the rigs that boots you out after your time is up though, which caught me by surprise." She laced her fingers and faced her mother. "But can I ask a favour?"
Mother nosed the car back into the stream of traffic. Her mouth quirked up. "You can ask. But I can't guarantee the answer."
"I just wanted to pop into the library and look for a book."
"Ah. That I can do. But can you not download it?"
"Not this kind of book. I checked my tablet while I was waiting for you. I need an old-fashioned kind of book. A paper one."
Mother's eyebrow raised. "What about?"
"Fairyland."
"Are you not a little old for fairy stories?" Mother said, pressing her lips together to suppress a smile.
A touch of colour crept up Corinne's cheeks. "Yeah. But I need to find out some background for the game. Feyland."
"Of course. And research is always good." As a Research Associate at the University, her mother was bound to say something like that. But she was right. I should've researched fairyland ages ago. When the first thing went wrong. But the appearance of the unicorn had swayed Corinne's thinking and kept her busy. No matter. I can do it now. Not much else to do till I get Ghost back.
CHAPTER 10
WAVING HER ARMS like a demented windmill, Corinne headed off the last recalcitrant sheep, and swung the gate shut on the pen. "That's them all," she shouted across at Phemie.
Phemie gave her a thumbs-up, then opened the gate at her end of the pen and encouraged the first sheep through the narrow channel of metal hurdles which led into the sharp-smelling foot-dip.
It was hot work, out in the meadow, but it kept Corinne's mind busy, and stopped her worrying about the auction that was happening tomorrow. The auction where they'd try to buy Ghost back from the charity. Her Ghost. It just seemed wrong, but there appeared to be nothing she could do about it.
Circling her tight shoulders, Corinne took a deep breath and attended to the matter in ha
nd. Tomorrow would have to wait.
An hour later, all the sheep were through the dip and grazing contentedly in the bottom meadow. Both Phemie and Corinne, however, looked like they'd been dragged through a hedge backwards. They probably smelled like a farmyard too. It was one of the warmest days of the year, and sweat sheened Corinne's forehead, fine dust covering every exposed inch of skin on her body.
Phemie rubbed a sleeve across her brow. "Time for a cold drink I think." She glanced at her watch. "And mebbe a bite o' lunch."
Ten minutes later, Corinne was standing by the sink in the farmhouse kitchen, gulping iced water from a large glass as her face gradually returned to a normal temperature. She leaned against an oak cupboard which matched the other units around the walls and the large Welsh dresser at the far end of the kitchen. The windows were open and yellow-sprigged curtains danced a slow waltz to the faint breeze from outside.
Putting the glass onto the sink, Corinne stifled a yawn.
"Been burning the candle?" Phemie twisted her mouth. "Or worrying about your horse?"
"Yes. Sort of. Both. I've been trying not to think about him, so I was on the net last night doing some research, and I didn't realise how late it'd got."
Phemie pulled open the fridge door, and set a bowl of salad onto the large pine table in the centre of the kitchen. "Homework for school?" she asked, and turned back to the fridge.
"No. I'm trying to find out some background for the game I play. Feyland."
Phemie's hand froze half-way towards a packet of sliced ham. "Feyland?" Her voice sounded weird as it echoed inside the refrigerator. "Like fairyland?"
"I suppose so. It's a game. A virtual reality computer game. But I was trying to find out more about the rules of fairyland, the customs and legends. I tried to get a book out of the library, but they didn't have anything. There's stuff on the web, but it's so disjointed."
Phemie placed the ham carefully on the table, a strange expression on her face. "Wait here," she instructed, and hurried out of the kitchen.