Shaman of Stonewylde (13 page)

‘
Where are we?’ she asked in wonder. ‘Is this the Lower World? Is it a tomb?
’

‘
Tomb and womb, death and birth, earth and breath – ’tis all the dance of life
.’

And then, as the vision began to fade, Leveret saw a staff with a snake entwined around it and recognised the Asklepian, the ancient symbol of healing and medicine, the wand of life and death
.

It was strange for Leveret, only two days later, to be walking down the Long Walk into the Stone Circle for Beltane sunrise. She glanced at the beech trees and stones lining the way with slightly different eyes, aware of their alternative reality. By her
side
, as ever, was Clip, ash staff in hand. He no longer conducted any of the ceremonies, having told the Council that this was part of the leaving process and necessary for everyone concerned; a gradual release rather than an abrupt departure.

Inside the Stone Circle the usual Green Men were painted all around and Leveret wondered again about her last journey and what hidden messages it may have contained. She recognised Magpie’s handiwork in the clever design of blossom and birds that chased around the upper parts of the stones, and the enormous and wild Green Man gracing the largest stone behind the Altar Stone was definitely his. She saw Magpie in the crowd, his butterscotch-coloured hair gleaming, and sent her love to him. It didn’t always work, but sometimes they picked up each other’s thoughts from a distance. He turned, and immediately locating her in the shadowy circle, beamed her way.

It was a shock to many when Yul appeared, not in resplendent leafy attire, but dressed in a general green cloak and headdress, with Sylvie by his side in plain white robes. Then a small Green Man and a pretty May Queen emerged from behind the stones and stood on the Altar Stone whilst Yul led the ceremony, with help from the choir. Leveret wondered if this had anything to do with the fact that he wasn’t receiving any Green Magic, and presumably not sharing marital relations with his wife either. Both seemed requisite for him to perform his usual Green Man function at Beltane, so perhaps the break with tradition was due to that. It meant that when the sun rose from behind the May Sister and the Bel Fire was lit, the rays fell on a member of the community other than the magus. There was a swell of discontented muttering that made Leveret cringe on Yul and Sylvie’s behalf.

It wasn’t till later in the ceremony when she was up nearer the front that Leveret realised with a shock who was playing the part of the Green Man; none other than Swift. Yul and Sylvie stood handing out the mead and the cakes, making Martin superfluous other than as a pair of hands to top up the tots of mead. But the expression of pride on his face as he stood by the Altar Stone
where
his son was splendid in costume was obvious to all. As Leveret took the thimbleful of mead from Sylvie’s hand, their eyes met.

‘Beltane blessings, dear Leveret,’ she murmured.

‘Bright blessings to you, Sister Sylvie,’ Leveret replied and was rewarded with a grateful smile.

In contrast, Yul refused to look at her properly, and mumbled his blessing almost inaudibly as he handed her the cake. Leveret thought again of her vision and that beautiful, vibrant boy who hadn’t just dressed up in a leafy costume – he’d actually transformed into the Green Man. She recalled the dancing green light around him, the sheer magic that emanated from him. Leveret understood then that her healing skills would not only involve herbs and medicines for the sick, but also spiritual reparation for the dreadful illness that was infecting so many at Stonewylde. And not least her oldest brother.

The first dance on the Village Green had taken place – the glorious Maypole Dance, with the unique carved and painted tree trunk, and the host of maidens dressed in white. Leveret was glad she’d avoided getting roped into this humiliating event, where in the past she’d invariably got herself tangled up in the bright ribbons and cords, or tripped someone over by skipping to the wrong side. She watched from the crowd and was amused to see Faun doing her utmost to be the centre of attention. At thirteen this was Faun’s first dance – it was for maidens from thirteen up to sixteen – and the way she behaved, thought Leveret, it was as if Faun were May Queen herself.

She and Clip also watched the young men’s Dance of the Staves, which, this year, was particularly athletic. Leveret saw that neither her brothers nor Jay were taking part, and this didn’t surprise her as none of them were light on their feet. Being the Green Man, Swift couldn’t participate; he and his May Queen stood close to Yul and Sylvie, and Leveret guessed that this had all been planned to smooth away any awkwardness about the magus and his wife living apart. Leveret didn’t have access to
any
gossip now she lived in the tower with only Clip for company, but she could guess how tongues must be wagging about the unheard-of separation.

Rainbow had been busy all morning with a sketchbook and pencil, wandering around the Green and stopping to draw rapidly as something caught her eye. Now Leveret noticed her standing in the great circle of spectators and watched her pull out a camera and start taking photos. Leveret thought she seemed so busy snapping away that she was missing the dance completely.

The Jack in the Green, his face blacked up and his jaunty feathers and colourful tatters bright in the sunshine, gradually disappeared inside the cage of wooden staves, whilst the young men, all dressed in green with white ribbons fluttering and bells jingling, leapt around him. Leveret noticed Rufus dancing, his red hair so distinctive, and she caught sight of Miranda’s proud face watching her son leap and dip. Clip, standing close beside her, chuckled unexpectedly.

‘Do you know it was at Beltane I said to Miranda that she’d be having a baby soon and she laughed at me. And all these years later, here that baby is, taking part in the young men’s dance. And even funnier, in a way – at the same time as that, Sylvie asked me if I had any children and I said no, I’d never been blessed. And that was to my own daughter! What a strange and beautiful world it is.’

Leveret glanced up at him and squeezed his hand.

‘Sylvie’s lucky to have a father like you, Clip,’ she said. ‘I never knew my father, but I’ve heard he was a terrible man.’

‘Yes, he was,’ agreed Clip with a twisted smile. ‘But nobody can help their parents. In fact it’s all the more admirable if you turn out to be a decent person despite your bloodline, don’t you think? Talking of parents, have you seen or spoken to Maizie yet?’

‘No,’ said Leveret quietly.

‘Maybe you should try to—’

‘Not yet, Clip – unless I can’t avoid it. I just don’t feel ready yet.’

He nodded and then they both jumped as the fiddles, flutes and drums reached a crescendo and, in sudden silence, the dancers leapt up together and shouted, ‘Jack – ho!’

During the Naming of the Babies ceremony, Hazel edged up to Dawn and gave her a playful prod in the belly.

‘Are you intending to take part in this next year?’ she asked.

Dawn smiled happily and nodded.

‘I hope so, if you’ve taken out my hormone implant in good time and everything’s in working order,’ she said.

‘Well, the handfasting’s next week, isn’t it? The Hare Moon’s a week away, so come up any time and we’ll remove it. Does David want to start a family straight away?’

‘Yes, he certainly does. We’re both longing for children. We’re neither of us getting any younger and this isn’t something we’d ever thought would happen.’

‘Oh Dawn! You’re still a young woman – and he’s not exactly over the hill either. Wait till you get to my age – that’s when you realise that you’ll probably never be taking part in the Naming of the Babies.’

Her voice was wistful and Dawn sighed in sympathy.

‘You never know, Hazel. The Goddess moves in mysterious ways . . .’

Swift and Valerian, his May Queen, stood behind Yul and Sylvie as they sat on their thrones on the dais announcing the babies’ names, welcoming them into the community and handing out the silver charms to each mother.

‘I wanted the Green Man hisself to bless little Badger,’ muttered one of the mothers processing round the circle with her baby boy all dressed up in his finery. ‘ ’Twon’t be the same if ’tis just Yul with that Swift all greened up behind him.’

‘I know,’ said the mother next to her. ‘I feel the same. ’Tis a disappointment and no mistake. And look at Sylvie’s face! She looks like the skies have fallen in on her. What a shame, on our babies’ special day.’

‘I remember when I were a youngster, this ceremony was a real occasion. There’d be a huge crowd o’ mothers lined up with their little ‘uns all bedecked and beribboned. ’Tis as if now there are only a few of us, they can’t be bothered to do it proper.’

The last woman came up with her baby all dressed in white to be presented with her silver charm.

‘Bright blessings to Poppy!’ said Yul, flicking a glance at his list. ‘She’s a fine Lammas baby and we welcome her into Stonewylde. Beltane blessings to Poppy and all her family!’

He took the chubby little girl, already sporting a couple of teeth and a ribbon in her top curl, and hugged her. Her face screwed up and she started to howl. Yul hastily returned the screaming child to her mother, who moved along to Sylvie.

‘We present Poppy with her ear of corn, the symbol of Lammas, and wish her a happy and healthy childhood,’ shouted Sylvie over the bawling.

The mother snatched the charm on its ribbon, knowing it would only upset her baby more to have something dangled round her neck, and stomped off from the dais. In the audience, Starling let out a bellow of raucous laughter.

‘I’d scream if Yul kissed me and all!’ she shouted. ‘The grumpy git’s enough to make anyone cry!’

There was some stifled laughter at this, and then the crowd broke up and all went into the Barn for lunch. Sylvie immediately turned on Yul, who’d decided to ignore Starling’s heckling.

‘You must stop Rainbow now!’ she hissed. ‘Don’t keep brushing me aside over this – she’s been doing it all morning and it wasn’t agreed on!’

Surreptitiously Swift leaned forward to adjust some of the leaves around his hem.

‘And neither was it forbidden!’ snapped Yul. ‘Stop being hysterical and leave the girl be.’

‘I’m not hysterical, Yul, and you know it. She’s overstepping the mark and we never said she could wander around taking hundreds of photos of everyone in the community. It’s an
invasion
of people’s privacy and I want it stopped. Would you prefer me to tell her?’

‘No, no, I’ll have a word with her,’ he said with exaggerated weariness. ‘I don’t want you flaying her with your sharp tongue, when she’s done nothing wrong.’

Sylvie glared at him, longing to challenge him, but knowing that this was certainly not the place. She noticed Swift close behind eavesdropping, and turned on him.

‘You should be in the Barn, Green Man!’ she said sharply. ‘Take your Queen and get in there to say the thanksgiving before lunch.’

Yul rolled his eyes at the green youth in sympathy, and, slightly unsteadily, climbed down from the dais. Swift hid a smile as he took Valerian’s arm and led her down the steps. It seemed that Yul had taken his advice after all and had a good swig of mead to get him through the morning.

Yul found Rainbow sitting on her shawl spread on the grass, with her back against a chestnut tree. She was wearing the customary white dress, worn by all the girls and women in the community at Beltane. She’d woven some bluebells into the long, wild tresses of hair that fell almost to her waist and her feet were bare. She grinned at him as he approached across the Green and put down her sketchbook and pencil.

‘Bright Beltane blessings, Yul!’ she said, patting the shawl next to her. ‘Come and sit with me for a while. You look totally pissed off.’

‘I am,’ he said ruefully. ‘Totally.’

He flung himself down next to her, sharing the tree trunk and clasping his knees up to his chest, just as he’d always sat. Their shoulders weren’t touching and he was careful to keep apart. She turned her head to grin at him again, and he was struck by the light dancing in her sea-blue eyes, so bright and knowing.

‘I’m disappointed you’re not the Green Man,’ she said. ‘I imagined you’d be splendid.’

‘It’s the first year I haven’t been,’ he said. ‘We thought . . . we thought it best this year to give some youngsters a chance at taking the lead roles for a change.’

‘Shame – I bet you look gorgeous. And fancy foregoing that rollicking around in the bluebells all night!’

‘That was in Magus’ time,’ he said. ‘We’ve changed the customs quite a bit. Sylvie’s always the May Queen and the Lammas Queen. She does everything except the Bright Maiden.’

‘How very greedy of her,’ mused Rainbow. ‘Fancy taking all the main parts. But she decided not to bother this year – maybe she’s bored of it.’

Yul grunted noncommittally and sighed.

‘I wanted a word with you about the camera,’ he began and Rainbow laughed.

‘And there I was thinking you’d sought me out for an intimate conversation, Yul! What a disappointment. Do you realise you’ve been avoiding me ever since I arrived?’

‘No, I haven’t! I’ve spoken to you many times.’

‘Not alone. I’ve been here six weeks, yet this is the first time we’ve been alone together. Why is that, I wonder?’

He frowned, not sure how to handle Rainbow.

‘Anyway, we’ve finally got a moment of privacy,’ she continued, ‘so let’s just enjoy it while it lasts. I’ve been so looking forward to this. I wanted to tell you that you grew up into all I’d imagined you would.’

He gave her a sidelong glance. Nobody at Stonewylde ever spoke to him in this way.

‘Yes,’ she sighed, ‘you really are one hell of a man. It’s just as well I left Stonewylde when I did, because I was developing a dreadful crush on you, just like all the other Hallfolk girls. We all had the hots for you – did you know that? Lucky old Sylvie – I hope she appreciates just how fortunate she is.’

Yul couldn’t stop the bitter laugh that escaped his lips. Rainbow sighed again and leaned her shoulder against his.