The Autumn Castle (66 page)

Queen Starlight tossed and turned every night for a month and a day as she thought about Eisengrimm and Zosia. Finally, she
decided that she loved Eisengrimm truly, and that he surely felt the same way. He was the only king she would ever desire
to have by her side, and so the journey was worth the risk. The next morning, without telling a soul, she set out alone.

Now, many surprising things befell Queen Starlight on her journey to Zosia’s woods, so that by the time she arrived, she looked
little like a queen. Her hair was dirty, her clothes were torn, and she had become thin from lack of food. What she still
possessed were her fine silk gloves that she wore to protect her beautiful silver hand, a jewel on a gold chain, and a ring
made of diamonds.

Zosia’s woods were dark and treacherous, and as night fell Queen Starlight thought she would be safer sleeping in the hollow
of a tree until daylight came again. She nestled herself into the hollow, then heard a loud voice saying, “Ouch!”

“Who’s there?” she asked.

An owl wriggled out from behind her. “I sleep in this tree,” he said. “There’s no room for you.”

Queen Starlight quickly explained who she was and what she was here for.

“Well, you can’t sleep here,” the owl said, “but I can give you some advice. Zosia is greedy for jewelry for her hoard. Maybe
that can be of help to you.”

Queen Starlight bade farewell to the owl and went on her way. She found a bed of lichen and decided to settle there for the
night.

“Ouch!”

“Who’s there?” she asked.

A lizard wriggled out from under her. “I sleep under this bed of lichen,” he said. “There’s no room for you.”

Queen Starlight quickly explained who she was and what she was here for.

“Well, you can’t sleep here,” the lizard said, “but I can give you some advice. Zosia collects souls for her sorcery. Maybe
that can be of help to you.”

Queen Starlight bade farewell to the lizard and went on her way. She found a pond of warm mud and decided to settle there
for the night.

“Ouch!”

“Who’s there?” she asked.

A frog hopped out. “I sleep in this pond of warm mud,” he said. “There’s no room for you.”

Queen Starlight quickly explained who she was and what she was here for.

“Well, you can’t sleep here,” the frog said, “but I can give you some advice. Zosia loves to win at games and is fiercely
competitive. Maybe that can be of help to you.”

Queen Starlight bade farewell to the frog and went on her way. By this time it was nearly morning, so she decided not to sleep
but to find Zosia’s cottage. She mused over everything the woodland animals had told her, and decided on a plan.

Zosia’s cottage had tiny windows, and nestled among a copse of black trees. As the sun rose, Queen Starlight knocked on the
door.

“Who is it?” Zosia asked.

“A traveler,” Queen Starlight replied.

Zosia opened the door and peered out. “What do you want, traveler?”

“I want to play a game with you.”

“A game? What do I get if I win?”

“I have jewels.”

“How many jewels?”

“Two.”

“And when you run out of jewels? For I shall surely win.”

“When I run out of jewels, I have my soul to play for.”

“Your soul? Well, that sounds like good enough stakes for me. Come in and let’s play.” Zosia opened the door wide. She pulled
up two chairs by the hearth and Queen Starlight sat down.

“Now, Zosia,” Queen Starlight said, “if I should win the game, I want only one thing.”

“What is it?”

“A word.”

“Ha! Is that all? Well, I know you won’t win because I always win at games. But a word is nothing to me, and I’ll happily
give it to you if you should beat me.” Zosia sat down and nodded. “Let us begin then.”

Queen Starlight held out the jewel on the gold chain. “Here is the first prize,” she said, “and you may win it if you can
tell me how many eyes I have.”

“Why, that’s easy,” said Zosia. “You have two eyes.”

Queen Starlight nodded and handed over the jewel. “You are right. How clever you are!”

Zosia grabbed at the jewel greedily. “Let us play again.”

Queen Starlight held out the ring made of diamonds. “Here is the next prize,” she said, “and you may win it if you can tell
me how many ears I have.”

“Why, that’s easy,” said Zosia. “You have two ears.”

“Once again you are right,” Queen Starlight said, handing over the ring. “Zosia, you are too clever for me. I can’t play anymore.”

“No, no, you promised a game.”

“I’ve no more jewels.”

“You said that once you ran out of jewels you’d play for your soul.”

“I may need it, and you are sure to win. I can’t play anymore.”

“No, no, no! You made a promise and you have to stick to it.” Zosia was growing angry now, her face dark with rage, her hair
sticking up. “You are bound by the rules of the game.”

“Very well,” said Queen Starlight. “The next prize is my soul. And you may win it if you can tell me how many fingers I have.”
She held up her hands in their fine silk gloves.

“Why, that’s easy,” said Zosia. “You have ten fingers.”

Queen Starlight shook her head. “Oh, no. No, Zosia, you are wrong.” She pulled off her gloves to reveal one hand of flesh
and blood, and one made of silver. “For I only have five fingers. The others are jewels made of silver.”

Zosia looked shocked. “It can’t be. I’ve never lost a game.”

“And now,” Queen Starlight said, “I want my prize. I want the word I came here to collect.”

“Which word do you want?”

“I am Eisengrimm’s true love, and I want to know his real name so that I may reverse the enchantment you cast on him many
years past.”

Zosia ground her teeth and stamped. “No, no, no!” she cried.

“You must,” Queen Starlight said, “for you are bound by the rules of the game as much as I am.”

Zosia raged and spat, but finally she had to admit she had lost the game and she declared Eisengrimm’s true name out loud.
Queen Starlight took it with her all the way back to her own realm.

Now, many months had passed since she had set on her way, and though Eisengrimm had done his best to rule in the meantime,
her subjects were overjoyed to see her, ragged and dirty as she had become, and cheered as she passed through the village
on the way to her castle.

“I shall marry very soon,” she declared, waving to them. “I promise you I shall marry very soon.”

Eisengrimm heard her saying this and his heart felt heavy. Queen Starlight, he thought, must have met a fine prince on her
travels. He could expect little more than to remain a counselor, because a wolf and a queen could never marry.

“I am glad you are returned, Queen Starlight,” he said, greeting her at the door to her chamber. “You have been gone a long
time.”

“Do you know where I went?” she asked.

“To find a suitable husband, I suppose.”

“That’s right. And I have found him. He is loyal and patient, kind and brave.”

“He will be a lucky man to be your king. May I ask, Queen Starlight, what is his name?”

And then Queen Starlight said Eisengrimm’s true name out loud. In a second, his wolfish snout and ears shrank back and his
fur fell out, and he stood in front of her, transformed at last into his true self. When Queen Starlight saw how handsome
and noble he was, she fell in love with him even more deeply than before.

They were married the next day, and lived happily and contentedly for a long time thereafter.

As always, there are many people to thank:

My agent and beloved friend Selwa Anthony.

Stephanie Smith, Karen-Maree Griffiths, and Vanessa Hobbs.

Kate Forsyth, for her wonderful poetry.

My informal support group of writers and thinkers, especially Kate Morton, Louise Cusack, Mary-Rose MacColl, Axel Bruns, Drew
Whitehead, the QUT girls, and the sf-sassies.

Luka, for sleeping through the night so early.

My cats, who can’t read this and don’t care.

Mirko. Did you like it?