The Various (21 page)

At sunrise, or soon after, the woods were filled with such a noise that I scarce held on to my wits. Such a beating and hammering there was – seemingly all around me – and such a din of Gorji voices that I believed the world to be gone mad. I thought to hide myself amongst the thickets and brambles – yet from these very thickets came great quantities of birds, I never saw their like, flapping and running, in terror also of the fearful noise. I fled likewise, not knowing what else I should do, even to the very edges of the woods, and all the while the Gorji came crashing on. But now, from beyond the confine of the trees, came loud cracks and explosions, so that all was an even greater confusion. The birds left the woods, and took to their wings, but I durst not. I durst not stay and
I
durst not break for open ground – or sky – though the very hordes of giants were nigh upon me. I was certain then that my death was near
.

The clearing was silent as Pegs rested yet again. His breathing was fast and shallow, and it was clear that the memory of his experience was a torture to him. Midge looked at the little assembly before her, as they stared wide-eyed – at Pegs now, not at her – and noticed that the Queen had begun to fan herself. Her mouth was open and her whitened face was shiny with perspiration. The warrior in the silver waistcoat – Maglin? – scratched his grey stubble and shifted his stance slightly, but said nothing.

In dark despair
, continued Pegs,
I found a desperate refuge – a great tunnel, surrounded by fresh earth near the edge of the wood. I reckoned it to be the lair of some beast from its stink, but cared little, nor gave a thought to what might await me there. I crawled within and hid me from the raving world above – hearing the boots and sticks and hounds of the Gorji as they passed over my head. On they came, and more – crashing and thrashing as though they would beat the trees to flinders. None here can know, and I hope will never know, that terror. And yet they may – for it is of such things, and worse, that this chi’ would tell
.

‘Was she among them then, that day?’ said the grey-headed warrior, looking at Midge. ‘And did she find you there?’

No, Maglin. My tale is not over. When at last the woods grew quiet again, I thought to rest a little and recover my senses – but then I was aware that deep in the tunnel some beast was astir. Scrapings and shuffling I heard, and knew
that
I was not alone in that noisome place. I had no wish to escape the Gorji only to face the jaws of a brock, and so I crept from the ground once more and hid me in the woods till sun-wane. A worse day I never spent – in great fear and with little rest. There is no relief from our plight to be found in the Far Woods. I speak plainly, and as one who has seen it to be so
.

When it grew dark once more, at moon-wax, I stood at the edge of the trees and looked out across the wetlands. I knew not whether I had the strength to return to the Royal Forest, yet I would not stay a moment longer. I launched from the hillside therefore, and made way as best I might towards the dark shape of our own horizon – yet was greatly wearied, even as I passed over the Gorji settlement. With all my effort I beat onward, but found that I could not gain the forest without pause. I fell from the sky and came down upon a byre that stood on the near hillside, making a great clatter on the ridges of rot-metal with which it was clad. This landing proved treacherous and I slipped headlong, falling through it as a stone through ice, and down into I knew not what – a thicket of spears it seemed, which pierced and smote me till I was entangled and broken. I felt great pain, and thought I did revolve upon a wheel that rolled red among the havens of Elysse. Then blackness came upon me, and upon the world entire
.

Midge felt a lump in her throat, and the group of little figures before her became blurred as her eyes welled up with tears. The memory of her struggle with the barn door came back to her. It had occurred to her on several occasions to ask how Pegs came to be trapped behind a locked door, but the opportunity seemed not to have arisen. So he had fallen through
the
roof. One of the galvanized sheets must have partially given way and then sprung back more or less into place. He would have landed on one of those spiky wheels, which had obviously turned beneath his weight and so pinned him to the ground. It was a wonder she had found him alive after all he had been through. How brave he had been.

She sniffed and rubbed her forearm across her eyes, bringing the world back into focus once more. Pegs turned to look at her, and spoke now as if to her alone.

Days and nights I lay in a swoon, pinned down by some cruel device and ever in pain, bleeding – dying, I knew. Then came this maid, a Gorji chi’, and in my despair I called out, reckless, hoping that it might be Spindra. Great kindness she has shown me – and much cunning, for I was held to the ground by an immense Gorji contraption which I judge would take many giants to lift, yet this she achieved alone, with a child’s hand. And by that hand did I live, and did mend, and was returned to my home. She is my saviour, and I name her as such, though she call herself . . . Midge. She has all my gratitude and trust – yet not for this reason did I bring her to the forest this day. Maid, rise now and tell, if you will, what is to befall this place, and let all hear of their coming fate
.

This caught Midge by surprise and it took a few seconds for her to gather her wits. She rose uncertainly to her feet, wiping her hands on her dungarees – but then reached out once more for Pegs, seeking reassurance, and buried her fingers in the long silvery mane at the nape of his neck. They stood closely together, facing the Counsel, as she searched for the right words.

‘This place,’ she began, ‘the forest, belongs to my uncle.’

The little people flinched at the unaccustomed loudness of her voice, and the broad faces stared up at her, wary, unsettled. The warrior with the spear had taken a step backwards – not through fear or intimidation, but simply to lessen the angle required to look up at her. The silence grew. She tried again.

‘The Royal Forest is in the charge of one of my . . . tribe. A man. A . . . Gorji? It belongs to him, and he can do what he likes with it.’ Her voice was too loud. Everything about her was too big, and too loud. She spoke again, softly and gently.

‘All land belongs to someone. This forest, your home, belongs to him. He’s my mother’s brother. He doesn’t want it anymore. So he’s going to let someone else have it. Those people will get rid of it. They will chop down all the trees, and they will build houses – dwellings – here instead. And roads. You won’t be able to live here anymore.’ Midge looked down at Pegs. ‘I don’t know how to say it, Pegs. I don’t know how to explain.’

‘Your meaning is plain enough. You are here – the Gorji are here – at last. We knew this day would have to come.’ It was Ardel, the Naiad Elder, who spoke – and his voice was bitter. The aged and stooped little figure drew his brown cloak around him as he raised his willow staff and pointed it angrily at Midge. ‘You are here. No more need be said.’

‘Well, it’s not
me
,’ Midge began indignantly. ‘
I’m
not the one who’s doing this to you . . .’ But Pegs
nudged
his shoulder against her knee and she stopped talking.

‘How long?’ said Maglin. ‘What time do we have?’

Perhaps one moon
, Pegs spoke again.
The maid cannot name the time of their coming. But it will not be long, Maglin. Come they will. And if she is mistaken, or if the hand of her kinsman may be stayed awhile – what of it? Ardel is right – though his anger be misdirected – the day will surely come. All lands are Gorji lands. They are here, and so this is no place for us. Our time here is nearly over
.

‘That may be so,’ said Ardel. ‘Yet I will not say that you have acted wisely in this, Pegs. You could have brought us this news yourself. And yet you brought her. There was no need for the Gorji maid to enter the forest, but you have thrust her upon us without warning.’

Do you not yet see? Were it not for the maid, if she had not healed me – aye and carried me back here – then I could not have returned. And all the Gorji would have been upon us without warning. The forest would be crushed, and we along with it. Now we have had warning, thanks to this chi’, and she may help us further – for whatever plans are laid it is clear we shall need assistance and knowledge from the outside world. Let this maid be our ally then, if she will, for I believe that it was meant to be so and that she was sent to us not by chance entire
.

Ardel spoke again. ‘Is
this
your advice? That this –
Gorji
– should act as go-between? That she should petition her kinsmen in our cause? Or be privy to our own strategies – and be so entrusted? It is by no means clear to the Counsel, or indeed to the Queen . . .’
here
Ardel bowed briefly towards Ba-Betts, who looked vaguely startled at the mention of her name, ‘ . . . whether we should even permit this intruder to
leave
the forest, let alone act as emissary . . .’

‘Oh, but I can’t stay very much longer,’ Midge blurted out loudly, without thinking. ‘My uncle will start to wonder where I am . . .’

The little people flinched once more at the sound of her voice, and Maglin glared at her, furious that he should have been seen to take another step backwards – this time in an involuntary and undignified fashion. He resumed his former position and thrust his spear towards her.

‘Speak when you are spoken to,’ he growled.

Midge, not wishing to be stabbed in the shins, kept quiet.

‘It is clear to me,’ said Crozer, the Elder Ickri, moving away from his fellow Counsellors and advancing towards the blue wicker chair, ‘that no purpose can be served by detaining this maid longer. To attempt to keep her a prisoner would be foolishness. My Lady,’ he addressed the Queen, ‘my advice would be to dismiss this person immediately. There is much to discuss. Much. And let us not forget that there are others to consider – those who were sent to seek, and have not yet returned . . . Whether or not the Gorji maid can be of assistance to us is in itself a matter for discourse. She should not be privy to any further knowledge regarding our thoughts and decisions, until we have mooted the same. I would beg that you command her to leave.’

The Queen ignored Crozer and stared up at Midge. Her vacant expression gradually seemed to focus, and she ceased waving her fan. ‘What
are
you?’ she said.

‘A . . . girl,’ said Midge, quietly.

‘A girl. Girrrl. A strange word. I have heard it before. A girl.’ Ba-Betts turned to Doolie, who hovered nervously at the Queen’s shoulder. ‘Have we
seen
this . . .
girrl
 . . . before?’

‘No, m’m.’

‘No? No. Yet, she seems . . . she seems . . . are you sure?’

‘Yes, m’m. Very sure.’

Ba-Betts sighed. ‘The Queen is not a well Queen. Not well . . . not well . . . and all is not well.’ She began to fan herself once more. ‘Girl,’ she said, ‘there are no girls here. We have no girls here, and there will be no girls. Go. Leave. The Queen commands. Guards! To the Royal Pod! I would rest.’

Maglin nodded to the four winged guards who stood waiting at the foot of the Royal Oak. They hurried over and lifted the Queen in her wicker chair, transporting her away from the little group. The sycamore seed was still perched on her head, Midge noticed. Doolie, the Queen’s maid, left the group also, joining the procession towards the Royal Oak. Midge looked up and saw the wicker pod hanging in the branches, for all the world like some big beehive or wasp’s nest, dark among the green shadows. She watched with amazement as the guards began to hoist the wicker chair up into the tree. Doolie sat in the
chair
also, opposite the Queen, and the two little figures rocked gently to and fro like children in a swingboat. The Queen was helped out onto a sort of platform and the whole company watched in silence as Doolie held aside the colourful entrance cloth to the Royal Pod. Midge wondered what it was like in there. The Queen crossed the threshold, stumbling slightly in her oversized children’s boots, and vanished into the dim interior.

Some slight tension seemed to disappear along with the Queen. Maglin, now in complete control, turned to the Counsellors. ‘The Queen commands that the chi’ should leave. And so it shall be.’ He raised his hand to stay any objection that might be raised. ‘We will decide upon our actions once she has gone. Pegs, you brought this . . . girl . . . here, and I would give you the task of taking her back to the tunnel she came in by. However, you be ailing. The Ickri Captains shall escort her instead. Aken! Scurl! Notch your bows.’

Maglin, the maid is here as a friend, and at my plea – not as an unwelcome intruder. She is but young, and means us no harm. It shames me to see her treated thus. Perhaps it is best that she departs for the moment, but I would not see her leave at arrow-point. I will gladly take her to the tunnel once more
.

‘No, Pegs,’ said Midge. ‘You should rest. And don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I can find my own way back. It’s easy.’

Then wait for word from me before you come again. And there surely will be word – for you are needed here, if all here did but know it
.

Maglin grunted. ‘Even so, she must have escort. I’ll take her myself – no, I have a better idea. Woodpecker!’ He called up to Little-Marten, who was still sitting high up on his perch. ‘Come down.’

Little-Marten, caught off guard, scrambled about, then half-flew and half-fell from the broken stump of the Perch to land, inelegantly, a few feet away. He was still holding his single clavenstick.

‘Lay your stick alongside its fallen brother and come here,’ said Maglin. ‘And now, Woodpecker,’ he continued, ‘since you be unable to keep away when commanded – I shall command the opposite. Come closer. Closer . . .’

The youthful figure shuffled forward, keeping one wary eye on Maglin, the other on Midge. He tilted his head back, to look up in open-mouthed wonder at the giant who had entered the forest – such a sight as he had never expected to witness – and almost overbalanced as Maglin’s hand snaked out to catch him by the ear. ‘Ow!’ he said, and dropped his cap.