Shaman of Stonewylde (65 page)

‘She’s at the horizon,’ Leveret said softly. ‘As the Bright Lady rises, as the Wolf Moon of January comes into our sky, we think of our dear Clip. We think of his totem the silver wolf, and we imagine Stonewylde at a time when wolves roamed wild and free. We call on the spirit of wolf to join us tonight, to come into the Circle and be part of our Moon Fullness celebrations. We call on the spirit of Clip, now also roaming wild and free just as he always wanted, to come if he will and join us tonight. We call on our ancestors, if they will, to join us tonight.’

She paused and breathed deeply of the pure, cold air. She felt stirrings all around her, eddies of movement and wisps of sentience; the Stone Circle was alive and teeming with wild energy. Leveret pulled off a mitten and found Yul’s bare hand, clutching it fiercely.

‘Come with me, brother, to a land of myth and magic,’ she whispered. ‘Travel with me on my journey into other realms. See, my great black Raven awaits us and we must follow where he’ll take us tonight, at the Wolf Moon. My brother, the only one in this world to share my blood and my flesh, the only one who understands the darkness and the power. Now that we are bonded again, Stonewylde will grow strong and all will prosper. We share magical blood, from our ancestor Raven who had the stars dance and sparkle before her, and our father Solstice with his silver Hallfolk power and strength, and our mother Maizie with her Villager feet planted in sacred Stonewylde earth. While we lead Stonewylde together, there can be neither shadow nor blight. Come, my brother, come with me on the journey and we will meet with our ancestors tonight, at Wolf Moon.’

Much later on that night of the full moon, having escorted his little sister back to the tower, Yul slipped into the Hall to bathe and eat his fill of Marigold’s larder, then returned to Mother Heggy’s cottage. He wasn’t yet ready to return to normality. Sylvie had rejected him and he loved her more than life itself; he simply couldn’t function without her love. He wasn’t needed anywhere at Stonewylde other than to perform the ceremonies,
and
as Imbolc was the festival of the female, Yul decided to remain where he was and leave them all to it. He was sure Leveret and Sylvie would manage the rituals without him.

Rufus was his saviour. The boy walked up to the cottage every day after school bringing food, drink, candles, firewood and occasionally clean clothes. He stayed a while to give Yul some company; his only other companionship was the white-tailed crow which pecked him if he fell asleep by the unguarded fire, and stole the food from his plate at every opportunity. Yul relished living as a recluse. He collected water from the spring, washing from a bowl and not shaving or changing his clothes often. Rufus bought him books of all description from the great library at Stonewylde, anything that caught his fancy, and Yul devoured them. He grew close to his younger brother, appreciating the boy’s kindness and quiet sense of humour. When Rufus confided that his dearest wish in life – other than to be a doctor – was to ride with Yul, he promised one day not only to teach him but also to find him the perfect horse of his own. Together, Yul vowed, they’d ride out on Dragon’s Back on their stallions with the wind in their manes and the rising sun in their eyes, just as Yul had dreamt of when he was a lad.

Rufus kept Yul up to date with all the Stonewylde news and he heard of the developments with the healing centre. The surveys were now complete and the reports being drawn up. The ancient boiler down in the basements was being replaced with an eco-efficient system that used a combination of natural energies, and work had already started on this. Rufus told Yul how Christopher had now moved down from London into Woodland Cottage and was very happy there. He was sure his mother was walking with Christopher – she spent a lot of time with him and was always brushing her hair and putting make-up on her eyelashes, and Rufus was happy about this. He loved to hear her laugh and sing, and it also meant that he was free to spend more time in the tower with Leveret and Magpie, or down in the Village with Maizie, Sylvie and the girls. From being a lonely single child living with his mother, he’d now gained
an
extended family that welcomed him to their hearths.

He continued to chop wood and draw water for Maizie, although she’d found another youngster to help as well, as Rufus now had so many responsibilities. Yul always listened very carefully to news of his wife and daughters and wished that Rufus noticed more of what was going on. There was some secret about Sylvie, Rufus said, because often she’d stop talking with Miranda or Maizie when he walked in. Yul wanted to know more about this but Rufus shrugged with a grin; women’s stuff really didn’t interest him. Apparently Sylvie was always busy at the Hall with her work for the healing centre, and they’d decided to use the grand apartments at the front of the Hall for the visitors’ accommodation. There was talk of a lift being put in, and all the bedrooms and bathrooms along that corridor were being redesigned. Rufus said it was weird having Outsiders all over the place, although Christopher made sure lots of Stonewylde folk were involved with the work, and all materials wherever possible were sourced from Stonewylde.

Celandine was practising her special dance for Imbolc and would be wearing a beautiful new dress that Maizie was sewing for her. Miranda had bought her some new ballet shoes from the Outside World, and she and Christopher were soon taking Celandine to London to the Royal Ballet to see . . . Rufus couldn’t remember what. Bluebell was still writing her book about the hares, and Magpie had done lots of drawings for it. Christopher had promised to get it properly printed for them as he thought it was really good, and his friend who had an art gallery in Cornwall had agreed to arrange an exhibition of Magpie’s best work in the summer. Apparently the prints of his that David had put on sale had attracted a lot of interest and had sold out immediately, bringing in quite a bit of money.

The doctor who’d taken such care of Leveret in the Outside World hospital had been visiting to check on her eyes and see if there were any signs of change to her optic nerve. Rufus was very much in awe of Dr Malik, as they all called him, although Malik was his first name. He had become Hazel’s friend and they saw
each
other most weeks which suited Rufus fine. He’d mentioned his career ambitions and now the doctor always spoke to him, telling him about new cases and recommending websites and books. He was a good man, according to Rufus, and interested in helping with the healing centre when it was up and running, as Hazel couldn’t manage it all.

Nasty Old Violet had been moved up to the Hall now, Rufus told Yul, which was the thing that most Stonewylders were gossiping about. She’d had to be heavily sedated and restrained, and even then she’d shrieked and cursed and attacked people, so they’d driven her up in a car rather than risk frightening a horse. Rufus said she was actually a very scary old woman and he kept well away since the time she’d spotted his red hair and launched into a vicious tirade against him. Everybody feared her, and Rufus had heard Dr Malik and Hazel discussing her medication and how best to “make her comfortable”. Rufus explained to Yul that this meant how to keep her quiet so she didn’t upset all the other old folk and the people who cared for them.

Imbolc came and went and Yul continued his lonely existence, reading voraciously and living vicariously. Rufus had stubbornly refused to bring him mead since that first night, and after a while Yul was glad of this; he recognised his own weaknesses and knew he could have sunk into drunken oblivion up here alone. As February turned to March and the daylight was brighter and lasted longer, Yul began to feel a change not only in the landscape and wildlife all around, but in himself as well. He heard of the birth of Dawn and David’s baby girl, whom Rufus informed him was called Beith.

‘She’s so sweet,’ Rufus said enthusiastically, ‘and so small. Hazel delivered her but she let Leveret help, because Dawn and David wanted the Wise Woman there as well as the doctor. Leveret told me all about it, and I’m so glad Hazel didn’t ask me to assist!’

Beith, Rufus explained, was Druid for birch and meant “new
beginning
”, and as Rufus spoke, Yul started for the first time to think of new beginnings for himself.

On his next visit Rufus said that Leveret wanted to visit very soon. Yul realised he’d better clean up the cottage, which he knew Clip had had renovated especially for her. He spent the next day sweeping, dusting and scrubbing, and Rufus brought her up the following morning. It was a strange sight to see Leveret slowly climbing the hill, her blackthorn stick feeling the ground in front of her, and Shadow close by her side constantly nudging her onto the path. Rufus was right behind, laden as ever with a great bag of things for his brother. It occurred to Yul how very lucky he was to have this young pair of siblings who both cared for him so much.

‘It’s the Spring Equinox in a couple of days, Yul,’ said Leveret, and he was amazed at the change in her, not having seen her since the Wolf Moon. She spoke with authority and was so calm and assured. There was a deep kindness and a new maturity about her, and she seemed to have adjusted well to her lack of sight. ‘I need to have the use of this cottage again and you need to get back to where you belong. You got away with it at Imbolc, but you must lead the Equinox ceremonies. I’ll be there by your side to assist. Did you realise I’m now an adult? You missed my Rite of Adulthood at Imbolc, but it was a lovely ceremony and my robes that Mother made are beautiful . . . apparently. Look, here’s my pendant.’

She showed him the gleaming disc around her neck depicting the Huntress’ Bow of Imbolc on one side and her totem, the raven, on the other. Yul stared at it and then at her face, uncharacteristically pale from being indoors all winter. Her eyes were as green and sparkling as ever; he found it hard to believe she couldn’t see. Her hair was very long now and her teeth so sharp and white, and as she sat in the rocking chair, he suddenly remembered her thus as a little girl of six years old, when she’d solemnly declared that one day she’d be the Wise Woman of Stonewylde. Where had those years gone? She was now sixteen and he was thirty. Even now time was passing rapidly. He realised
then
that he’d spent almost three months up here in Mother Heggy’s cottage, hiding away in his cave nursing his wounds. Wounds which, he discovered, appeared to have healed a little, for he no longer felt quite so desperate and raw.

‘It’s lovely, Leveret. I’m sorry I missed your ceremony.’

‘That’s alright – I understand. But it’s time for you to come back now. Your little girls have missed you so much, and Sylvie needs you too.’

‘I don’t think so,’ he said quietly, but Leveret chuckled.

‘It’s the Moon Fullness on the eve of the Equinox. Why don’t you go up to Hare Stone for that? I’m pretty sure she’ll be there alone – you both need to sort things out. You can’t hide away forever and I think you’ll find that she’s more accepting now, and perhaps even ready to forgive you.’

‘Really? Did she —’

‘I’m not saying any more – it’s up to you now, Yul. Find her at the Moon Fullness when you can be alone together, not in public with everyone watching. She has a surprise for you. But Yul, for Goddess’ sake, come to the Hall and have a bath and shave first – from what Rufus has told me, you look like a wild and woolly hermit!’

Two days later on the afternoon of the Storm Moon, the day before he had to return to the community to conduct the Spring Equinox ceremony in the Stone Circle, Yul left Mother Heggy’s cottage to slip down to the Hall. Anxious not to bump into anyone in his current state, Yul had pre-arranged with Rufus to nip up the back stairs to his little brother’s bedroom and use their bathroom in the Tudor wing for a much needed bath. Rufus had organised shaving things and some of Yul’s clean clothes to be waiting in his bedroom, and assured Yul that he and Miranda would be in school, so the rooms would be empty.

As Yul crept up the wooden stairs and through the arched door, he remembered stealing up here to visit Sylvie all those years ago. He recalled the sight of her lying like a marble effigy on her bed, after Magus had taken his fill of her moon magic. He
remembered
holding her tight, leaving flowers for her, begging Miranda for forgiveness after the episode in the woods when he’d held her captive in a tree cage . . . all the memories flooded back. Yul sank to the narrow single bed that had once been Sylvie’s and was now their brother’s, and he wept.

He sat there for a long time, all his guilt and hurt and bewilderment flooding out with the hot, bitter tears. Then, when the pain had been washed away, he ran himself a bath and shaved off the beard, although his hair was still long and wild. He lay for ages in the hot water, steaming with aromatic Stonewylde rose-mary oil. When he finally emerged, Yul looked at his hollow-cheeked reflection in the mirror and made himself a promise. He would do anything to win Sylvie back. He’d beg her forgiveness, he’d promise her the earth, and somehow he’d make it all happen. Without her he just didn’t want to carry on; he must make her see that. He knew that in the past, he’d always stepped back immediately when she’d rebuffed him. This evening he must look deeper and swallow his pride if at first she rejected him. He simply
had
to be reunited with her.

There were still a couple of hours until sunset when he must go up to Hare Stone to find Sylvie. Not wanting to bump into people in the Hall, Yul decided to pay Christopher a visit. He’d liked the man when they’d met in London, and was grateful for all he was doing for Stonewylde and also for Leveret and Rufus and the legal aspects of their inheritance. Slipping from Rufus’ room down the back stairs again, he hurried unseen across the side lawn and onto the path that led towards Woodland Cottage, where Sylvie and Miranda had first lived when they came to Stonewylde all those years ago.

Sylvie put away the bulky file of students and their career advice details, still preferring this to a computerised system. She knew she was old-fashioned, and Harold had kindly offered to set it all up for her online, but she just liked this better. There was a meeting later on with the renovation team which she’d said she might attend, although Christopher had told her not to worry
if
she’d rather go back to the Village. Sylvie considered this but knew that if she went home now, she’d only get caught up with the girls coming out of Nursery and then Celandine would start pestering again about the Moon Fullness tonight. Sylvie wanted to go up to Hare Stone alone to dance for the Goddess and think things through. So she decided to stay here until sunset and then go straight up there, knowing Rufus would take Celandine onto the Village Green as arranged. He was such a lovely boy – how grateful she was for his and Maizie’s support in recent months.