The Queen's Curse (44 page)

‘Very close to the sorceress’ cave, though
,’ Artride mentioned.

‘I know, but we were here first, we left once we understood the danger. It stood empty for centuries. At last we occupy it again
,’ she said joyfully.

The other children ran off to join the rest of the group, chanting the names of their saviours.

Woodchildren were gathered in small groups talking to each other, but as the women appeared they stopped and stared at them in wonder. Soon they started to cheer, laugh and cry at the same time, but the two women did not experience this as noise of any kind; but as music to their ears, for that was what it was. They clasped hands together as they soon were singing to them in their own tongue, a lovely heartbreaking, welcome song. Men, women and children all joined in.

Their voices were pure, high and harmonious; straight from the heart. It touched their own hearts and warmed them all over. Tears were building up in the eyes of the heroes and it was impossible not to weep.

A dark, tall man separated from the group after the song and came to greet them.

‘Welcome, you’re the first humans ever to see this secret place
,’ Eolas said, his arms widely spread; side-glancing at an approaching woman left of him.

‘Roalda!’ Artride called out and covered her mouth in disbelief.

‘My, you two have become thinner!’ The white lady said sliding closer. She looked less transparent than when they’d last seen her.

‘That’s the first thing you say to us?’ Tirsa asked her with one eyebrow up.

‘Just to let you know now that you have reached a heroic status, you will have to live up to your statuesque,’ she said quite seriously.

Artride looked down at herself; at the stained torn dress and her dirty arms and legs. ‘Yes, well, I suppose we do need to shape ourselves up a bit.’

‘A bit? You two look like you’ve had a journey through the insides of a mountain troll!’

She looked up to see Roalda laughing. ‘Very near
ly,’ she answered smiling.

Roalda embraced them closely so that the three of them were standing head to head.

‘Thank you so much,’ she whispered in their hair. ‘I have regained my powers now and everyone is free again.’ Roalda embraced them both tightly as she would have with her own children. She looked very proud.

‘Do you hear that music?’ Eolas interrupted. They sharpened their ears and heard a faint drum and a number of flute tones deeper in the woods.

‘They haven’t stopped playing ever since it was clear The Dominator is gone and won’t be back. Come and eat with us,’ he said as he touched their fingertips lightly.

‘Eolas,’ Artride said thankfully
, ‘we are more than honoured, but where were you? Tirsa broke her leg near the cave exit and it was so dark!’

‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ he said looking at Tirsa’s leg.

‘I have healed her, but still. I thought you left us.’

‘Now, now, I wouldn’t do that!’ and he beckoned them to follow him.

They came closer to the tree huts and on the meadow a long table stood, covered with good food from the woods; berries, mushrooms, salads, honey, nuts and roots and bread. It was hard not to taste all of it and eat fast; but they reminded themselves to eat slow and not to stuff themselves, since their stomachs had shrunken during the journey, even if they did have a little food in the cave.

The rest of the TalamhClann joined and ate as well. The Woodchildren talked quietly with one another, leaving the two women at peace as they ate; knowing that they would get to hear the entire story sooner or later. The atmosphere was peaceful and cheerful and laughs and giggles were to be heard all over the table. They felt accepted and respected; something Artride had never experienced in this fashion. She told Tirsa so and she replied in a matter of fact voice, ‘Well of course, people could learn a lot from these children of nature. No one judges and there is never stri
fe or battle between them. They fight their inner demons at a young age so that they unite their shadows with their bright side. Balance is their secret.’

‘Well spoken, Tirsa
,’ Eolas said, sitting opposite them, who had been listening. ‘It sounds you hold a great respect for them.’

‘Of course. I used to encounter Woodchildren during my strolls and during these short wonderful meetings I’ve gained a huge respect. They’re always giving and never asking anything back, but now that I’ve done something for them I guess they’ll let us into their hearts?’

He smiled a warm smile. ‘You were always special to them so I have heard, but you’ll get a chance to meet many more later on and learn that you will always be in their hearts from now on, both of you.’

After dinner they washed themselves in a pleasant
, clear lake and they received new clothes. A dark blue velvet dress to the knees for Artride, lined with golden laces, and a dark green velvet one for Tirsa. The belt was a soft brown rope made from the bark of an oak tree. The leggings were both tight, stretchy black velvet, and the boots were the only piece of clothing made from leather.

‘Deer,’ Eolas explained later to them as they were fully dressed. ‘Sometimes an animal dies or is left after a predator has eaten it; only then they use the skin and bones. ‘You look beautiful the both of you.’ And they did. Clean and rested
, and newly dressed they also felt a lot better.

‘I do not know how to thank them for this,’ Artride whispered to Eolas and he winced at her in conspiracy. ‘By wearing it you already have. You are a delight for their and
… my eyes.’

She coloured at that and smiled
, confused, for she had not suspected them or him to be interested, but of course, even though he was immortal, he also was a male. He and Sempervirens surely had had a sexual relationship.

‘Eolas,’ Tirsa interrupted, frowning. ‘I have not seen any Windchildren yet, how come?’

‘They have lost a great number of members to the whims of Sempervirens,’ he said painfully, with almost something that showed as guilt in his eyes. ‘A lot more than the Woodchildren in fact. They mourn and celebrate this news in their own way, but hopefully will join tonight.’

‘How do we have to behave during this party?’ Artride
asked carefully.

‘Just be yourself, Artride. We do not
expect anything from you. We’ve already got more than we ever could have hoped for. That counts for me too. You have freed me and them. We will always be in your debt.’

‘We did what we had to do.’

‘No, you could have chosen differently, but you did not.’

‘I just wanted to help.’

‘Yes, and you forgot about yourself –’

‘And my mission.’ Artride interrupted him with sad eyes.

‘You just followed your kind heart and got lost in the moment; but you knew something good would come out of it, it had to and it did.’

‘Luckily it did, but it could have ended worse. If it wasn’t for Tirsa
–’

‘Hush, now, Artride,’ Tirsa said. ‘Don’t put yourself through this again. It’s over now.’

‘That’s right; tonight we’ll celebrate the outcoming of this; not what might have been!’ Eolas said cheerfully and gave them a glass of a bubbling drink. ‘Drink this and you’ll feel better.’

‘Alcohol?’ Artride asked.

‘No, something far better; drained from a special flower, drink. It’s kind of sweet and it gives you energy.’

Artride put the glass to her lips and
sipped it; tasting the transparent liquid which caressed her tongue and throat delicately. ‘Hmm, it tastes delicious.’ And she nodded at Tirsa; urging her to drink.

The three of them drank and laughed the rest of the afternoon, forgetting the past worries and troubles.

That evening, when the sun had set, orange and pink had painted the sky. Drums welcomed them deeper into the woods where large torches along the path gave off a reddish glow. A large crowd had gathered on a clearing, sitting on the soft dry mulch and grass of the forest floor and some on blankets. A big fire was burning in the middle of the circle. A huge pile of old branches and dead wood had been built up outside the circle; so that the fire could be fed all through the night. They spotted Roalda among them and she looked like she was glowing herself. How she kept her white dress so spotless was a mystery.

‘It almost looks like you’re their parents or leaders,’ Tirsa said in wonder. ‘But I thought they didn’t have any need for a leader?’

‘That’s right,’ Eolas answered kindly. ‘We’re very close to them, but we don’t lead them. They respect us like we respect them and we often cross their paths; well, I used to before I was captured of course. But Roalda and I have different tasks; mine is more concerned with humans and their path of learning through suffering, since the TalamhClann already posses a great sense of insight and walk a different path than humans do altogether. Roalda knows people better in her job in dealing with all mortals.’

‘You’re not married then?’ Artride joked
, feeling light-headed from the drink.

He laughed. ‘We cross paths occasionally and are old friends. Remember I was born a mortal, but she’ll never guide me to the Afterlife, nor bring me back from it for that matter.’ And he glanced
, smiling at Tirsa who laughed as well. Eolas was as dark as Roalda was white; it was as if they were opposites on the outside, but they sure looked close when one saw them together; they were as one.

‘My friends,’ Roalda spoke as they entered the bonfire making eye contact with the two women, ‘
we have a wonderful night for you in store; come sit at the fire and let your friends entertain you.’

They got up to sit down among the Woodchildren who sat in a big circle around the fire; shaking their hands and sp
eaking warm words in thanks.

‘Can you feel the power of the circle of life?’ Roalda continued
, smiling. Indeed, there was a strong power radiating from the circle; from within or without they were not sure. Certainly a great love and appreciation from the TalamhClann, they reckoned.

‘Of course from us, but the stars tonight stand in a particular pattern, and this circle makes a connection with that same pattern, linking to it; extracting a power full of uplifting healing energy. The very essence
the TalamhClann needs in order to heal and continue their lives.’

Tirsa thought back to the many symbols she had seen in Sempervirens/Sovalis
’ home, mainly circles; even the Snake biting its own tail. Biting back the frustration that she was called Snake Eyes as she didn’t want to be compared to the sorceress as such, she did, however, wonder what all those circles had meant to Sempervirens.

As if Roalda heard her thinking, she spoke, ‘And of course
, everything in life is a circle in many ways as everything returns and life goes on and on, round and round, never changing, but does it? We worship, unlike some we’ve known; not the Circle, but –’ and Roalda grabbed a stick and drew something in the sand in front of the fire. ‘But the Spiral.’

Smiling
, she explained, ‘For the Spiral symbolises change; it can go upwards if you look at it in depth or downwards. Our Spiral has been going downwards too long. That has changed.’

The crowd started to clap and Roalda’s gaze turned towards the Woodchildren
, and she spoke something in their tongue; one of them attended the fire and as Roalda was speaking to the group in front of her, Tirsa glanced at the Woodchild next to her, feeling her gaze upon her; a blonde maiden with long limbs; caressing with her tender fingers the frame of her harp. She could hardly wait to begin to play her song. Tirsa smiled at the girl.

‘This must feel strange for you,’ Tirsa whispered softly. ‘A celebration party for two humans
, while it was humans who turned your world upside down in the first place.’

The Woodchild’s face stayed serene when she answered, ‘It is true we have a sad history with mankind; they forced us to leave our woods and valleys. And they treat our dear brothers and sisters
, the animals, cruelly. It was also a human who held us imprisoned for over two centuries in a small part of the world; shielding us from our friends and duties. And the same person tricked us and used and misused us.’ And she closed her eyes, like she was chasing away those memories from her mind. There had been no women Woodchildren in the cave; but surely she had heard stories from the male slaves; now free but most likely traumatised.

‘But we know you are different, you have proven that. And although there are no guarant
ees, we have learned that all too well; we know you will never be like her. There is just one big question we all have.’

‘And that is?’ Artride asked
, who had been eavesdropping over Tirsa’s shoulder.

‘Why? Why did she do all those things to us? What had we ever done to her?’

The queen sighed deeply. ‘It’s not easy to explain in a few words, but she really did not have anything personal against your people. You see, she was highly jealous of your youth and the lasting of your beauty and good health.’

‘But I heard she was very beautiful herself and appeared young; very much like us. Why torment us when she had all this, besides her magic, which is more than most humans can say?’