Chapter 26

She loves me.

T’was night, and the stars above them glistened like crushed diamonds on blankets of pitch-black velvet. The amber moon (los) and the silver moon (Nula) shone down. Like lucid maidens picking apart forget-me-nots and scattering them into the solitude of the silent night.

She loves me not.

Was this all just a bad dream thought Brownie , as she found herself an integral part of a grander scheme, partly she was worried, and partly excited as she felt her adrenalin spike and inhaled the pressure.

They stood two souls tiny in stature before the tall ivory walls of the citadel, between them and the inner sanctum of the knightmares castle. At the front gate stood a sentry and upon the castle walls patrolled stout soldiers who like clockwork disappeared and reappeared after a given duration of time.

Eulin and Grozette flew overhead, beneath the myriad of tiny stars, as if they were dancing across the night sky … what a beautiful sight to behold.

It also was the all clear signal.

Faraway , Googlee watched over them, as their lookout and getaway glider. It made pragmatic sense as she recalled his phobia about the dark and strangers.

Poor Googlee.

All the other pieces were set.,

Which only left herself & the young ghost.

Brownie and Elkie lay in wait beyond the corona of the light just on the peripheries in the darkness.

The changing of the guard approached it was only a matter of time before they completed the changeover, this was their window of opportunity and like an omen of ten magpies, it represented something that could not be missed. So, not unlike little vixens scurrying into the thicket they assembled at the wall. It looked very high to their eyes and even taller to Elkie the littlest one amongst them.

Elkie quickly checked in both directions as Brownie swung the hook. It hummed as it swung, until she fired it skywards above them with all of her might. She almost launched her-self with it in the process, her footing stretched up to standing , right up to her tippy toes as she sent it as high as she could muster. She heard a clank and glanced over to the ghost who gave a thumbs-up sign for everything being ok.

She pulled the rope taut and checked if it would take their weight.

It would.

Slowly and surely, they scaled the walls it was further, higher than she expected. She suffered the uncomfortable sweat and ripple of muscle; it was an annoyance perspiring so much and being unable to mop her brow, as sweat leaked into her eyes and hair and dripped off the end of her nose, it ran into the crease of her pout, and over her lips, and-tasted salty. Halfway up she peered down hesitant to witness Elkie climbing beneath her. Elkie whispered “DON’T LOOK DOWN!”
“Keep going!”
She had an unsettling thought that left a knot in her stomach. She had no harness if she let go now if she slipped…. she’d plummet to her death … she’d be as dead as a dodo.

The only way was up.

Slowly and surely, she pulled herself, hand over hand, up to the top of the wall. The two of them hung over the side as they caught sight of a patrol guard standing above them looking out over the kingdom as they draped quietly over the edge, stealthy, limp just yards away and right under their noses. They held their breath as they looked at one another in anticipation.

Suddenly, they heard the flutter of wings as they saw hundreds of grey bats spill out into the sky above them; they raised their shoulders and braced themselves for impact.

Brownie overheard a voice of the sentry say, “pesky mertensii bats, coming in from the mountains I’ll warrant… I’ll go and tell the gaffer,” Another voice said, “hurry up and get back as quick as you can, they give me the Willies!”

the remaining guard patrolled, half-hearted whilst
supping moonflower cider from a hip flask he concealed beneath his tunic, continuing his rounds he waded through the thick haze of dandelion parasols, as his cloaked figure disappeared into the miasma.

They waited for their chance to go over the top. They dragged themselves, so slowly, like dark assassins in the night. Stealthily encroaching using the power of invisibility and the power of plain sight.

Their arms weighed heavy from the assent, and their fingers also throbbed, from labouring.

However, they took gratification that they had finally made it. Elkie looked at Brownie “the bats … that was Grozette, wasn’t it?!”
The Sprite nodded as she glanced at the ground below.
Remaining silent she looked over herself and Elkie to ensure they were both ok.
And pulled up the grappling hook and stashed it out of plain sight.

Far away, they judged they could hear not only the sea but the sound of soft falling water, how odd thought the Brownie as it aroused her curiosity.

Carefully, cautiously, slowly they proceeded with trepidation as the gravity of the situation began to weigh heavier upon them. They crept down the stairway into the strongholds centre and filtered into the courtyard.

She loves me?

Brownie viewed her breath as it misted the air, although it turned into condensation, she felt hot and clammy; she paid a passing attention to the fact that Elkie’s breath did not mist, in fact; it was impossible to see if she was breathing at all.

“Wow, that is special,” said Elkie overcome by its clever design and beauty.
In her next breath, she declared, “the fluid garden of Lyness… one of the ancient wonders of the world!” She Said As she stood on the dark wet edge.

The two girls sat a moment while resting on their tired arms in the midnight garden as they found a hammock nearby, they could see the night through the tall arches that seemed to be a reoccurring feature. As they swayed gently in the night breeze.

“Mama used to tell me stories about this place! But I always assumed she dreamt it up!”
The little Sprite looked at her for an instance she appeared to flicker almost in a moment. She seemed transparent, a moment longer, and she was here again and having presence.
“You miss her?” Asked Brownie, the winette headed girl nodded, as the sound of crickets played a symphony just beneath the thunder of the falling water “what’s it like?” Enquired Brownie awkwardly
“you mean?”
“Yeah!”
“It’s like being frozen in a moment, that you can’t get out of, trapped like an insect in amber, imagine your last words were a blazing row, and the regret you’d have if that’s how they’d always remember you!” The words dried up In Her throat, but she said finally “until you’re forgotten. And you will be … eventually. It’s inevitable!!”
She was unable to find the words to continue. “it’s ok” Brownie said comforting her as she could see she was shaking; she hugged the young ghost.
“Mama – she forgot about me, and I…I don’t want papa to feel that I thought it was him …!” She snuffled “I know it wasn’t him, there’s so much I want to give!” As silver tears streamed down her young face … which also caused Brownie to join her in grief. Both of them wept as they hugged.
“Oh my b. f. f, please don’t cry, put away those sad eyes!”
“B. f. f?!” Question Elkie As She panted tearfully.
“Best friend forever!” Answered Brownie “I need you el … your important to me, I’d o’ never of got this far without you!”
“Really!”
“Yeah!”
“Don’t make jokes!” She Said As she began to show the cracks in her heart,
“I’m serious!!”
“C’mon Red Leader, we’ve got work to do!”
“Hahahahaha!” She responded almost between laughing and weeping in a state of mild hysteria, as she wiped her eyes clear.

She loves me not.

Suddenly quietly, they noticed the number of bats that hung upside in the trees and from the pergolas and any construct, they could attach themselves too, they stared at them. They were surrounded by eyes hundreds and hundreds of piercing eyes, watching them, it felt unnerving and primordial, and it made the hairs on the back of their neck stand to attention the little ghost quavered as her top lip quivered “that’s grozette!”
“Are you sure?” Asked the little Sprite standoffishly “of course!” She Said bluffing as she clenched everybody part available to her.

There was a sudden rush, and the bats scattered into the air like a flock of wild geese after a gunshot, a dark grey cloud surrounding them. They closed their eyes and huddled together as they readied themselves for impact.

and then?

Nothing.

The grey Wizardess coughed “ah! Good evening” she began cordially as she appeared to them wrapped in a grey cloak and traditional witches’ hat
“well done on getting this far!” she patted both of them on the head.
She continued cutting to the quip “Ok … I’ll keep a watch out for you! If anything goes wrong send up the flares and abort the mission!” She said as she passed two wynwood tubes that were about 6 inches long and rattled when you shook them, also quite unusually she gave them a fine crafted clockwork mouse. It seemed odd, but then Grozette was more than a little eccentric, “if you get lost the picca will show you the way, just don’t overwind him!” The sorceress said on a cautionary note.
“He gets cranky when you do that!” She said winking

Brownie put the clockwork doormouse into her pocket with one of the flares, the other she gave to Elkie. In case they were separated for whatever reason.

Grozette looked at them as they stood side by side one another, almost as if she were a proud auntie “who’d of thought such mighty deeds would be accomplished by ones so slight!” She beamed as she hugged them “Good Luck and may leer keep you!”

She loves me.

The two of them stood before the secret door. Which was more of a manhole cover in the centre of the garden?

“facelem volentum meme!”
invoked grozette using her powers of prestidigitation as the engravings on the well cover illuminated in the moonlight, their eyes grew large as they experienced conjuring, in all its awe, as an art form for the first time. The young ghost applauded “wow… you’re good!” She Said As she pointed her fingers like a pistol. Grozette almost blushed at the compliment as she changed the subject “you must take the tunnel which will come up by the Temple of Marsly knowledge, be careful there are not only guards that patrol this place! There are other foul things!”

“And one more thing a friend will meet you when you get there!”

All three of them hefted the well cover and saw a spiral staircase leading down into blackness!
As the two of them descended, into the labyrinth.

A slight something in Grozettes voice that perhaps indicated she wished she was going with them, followed by an uncomfortable silence.

Grozette was overcome by a chill as she looked up to see a mysterious shadowy figure standing above her with fierce golden eyes as she slid the lid back home hurriedly to where it belonged. Elkie peered up to catch the figure of Tallulah behind her “Grozette watch out!” She shrieked as the circle of Light turned into a corona eclipsed by the dark as the cover slipped back into its home.

It was the last thing they caught sight of.
“What was that?!” Called Brownie in a heightened state of alertness
“it was Tallulah. I saw her!”

Brownie cursed their rotten luck.
“Nothing we can do about that now!” She said feeling powerless “we’d better hope Grozette can take care of herself!” They proceeded with Worry etched upon their faces
“I’m sure she can!” agreed Elkie as they pressed on into the dark subterranean maze.

As they acclimated to their environment. They found their eyes became accustomed to the darkness. They procured one of the flaming torches that were set into stations to help travellers find their way about.

“Elkie do you remember the moon goddess saying Lyness was underneath the sea!” Recounted the little Sprite
“Yup!”
“What do you suppose she meant by that?”
“O’ I dunno’ I never thought about it to be truthful!”
They followed the tunnel until they were quite unsure of the way to go, they could hear the drip… drip of water and the zephyrs of fresh air entering in from the coast.
But weren’t sure where its source was coming from.

Suddenly, Brownie felt uncomfortable as if she were being watched. “Do you sense that?”
“what!”
“Like something unnatural is watching!” Elkie nodded “I wish Eulin or Googlee were here!”
“I wish that too!” Agreed Brownie hugging herself
“Maybe we’d better wind up the picca and he can show us the way!” She suggested to the sprite who concurred.

Brownie took the clockwork rodent from out of her pocket and gently wound it. The two of them stood together fascinated by the contraption as Elkie softly said, “careful, remember what grozette told us about over doing it!”
The sprite gave her a dirty look as she reacted with “yes yes I know!”
As they laid the small grey mouse on the dusty floor.
They Waited for a few moments, in anticipation “nothing’s happening!” Said Elkie impatiently
“Are you sure you’ve done it right?!”
“Listen to yourself, there’s only one way of winding a doormouse,”

As it sat in the halo of torchlight a moment passed and still nothing.
“Must be broken!”
“Now what!”
“Give it a whack!” Said Elkie “might get it started.”
Just then a sound resonated it was the tick tick tick of the winding key juddering as the picca began to stir. It seemed different somehow as if by parthenogenesis, it was not clockwork anymore but a real rodent.
“Aw you are cute!” gushed Elkie as she stroked its little cheek whilst it weaved through her fingers.
Brownie let the pica scurry up her arm to her shoulder the mouse gave the impression of being addle-brained by what type of creature she was, it looked to find her ear and peered into it “oi stop it!” She said squeamish as it ruffled its whiskers at her, before adding,
“Can you take us to where we need to go?” It drew close to her responded with a nod and began to scamper off to follow a trail.
“Quickly!” Elkie said chasing after him as she and Brownie jogged sprightly through the tunnel, hurtling after the clockwork pacemaker like Olympic runners carrying a flaming torch.

She loves me.

“Where’d he go!” Asked Elkie holding the torch aloft to illuminate the immediate surroundings.
“Lost him!”
“Shhh!” Said Brownie as she listened for the ticking noise.
They weren’t in the tunnels anymore they were in some kind of oubliette. Moonlight was breaking through the holes in the roof. Like slender beams of shimmering light.

Onto Pillars that stood stately and supported the ceiling which were old fractured and strangled by ivy,
They heard a weak voice ask in an inhuman whisper “who’s there?”

The next thing they noticed were webs dense cobwebs and old broken curtain webs that hung from the boughs of dead trees.
they overheard the familiar sound of click click as the pica doubled back and nestled before them pointing out the way dead-ahead of them.

“We don’t mean you any harm!” Called Elkie…, “we’re just passing through! “a whispering voice harkened back “welcome friennnddsss!”

“I don’t mean to be rude but, but…. could we see your face pleese?” Asked Elkie politely and fearfully

“It would only frighten you!” Answered the voice in the dark as they could hear the faint rattle of shackles.

As they neared closer, they could make out its outline that was that of an arachnid.

There was something, especially terrifying about a giant spider, Elkie and Brownie recoiled and put the distance of the entire room between them
“I realise I am not pleasing on the eye!”
Said the whispering spider.
“After 800 seasons, you would not look as good!” a sliver of pride entered into the conversation.

“How do we know we’re safe, and it’s not a trap!” Called out the sprite, the spider took a while to answer “why’ I’m in chains, how could it be a trap?” Reasoned the spider that was about the size of a cow “you should never ever completely feel safe in the presence of a spider. but I give you my word, I will not harm you! The enemy of my enemy is my friend!” It stated pragmatically

“No!” Cried Elkie “don’t!” as she could see the processes of Brownies mind trickling over, it was compelling her to liberate the poor creature in chains “we have to do this Elkie!” She suggested taking the moral high ground.
“Just wait. Ask yourself is it safe?”
It mortified Elkie as she continued “just look at it… it’s horrible there’s no empathy in it!”
Brownie looked at the young ghost child She recalled the words’ Li Kay said at their last meeting on the other side of the warrior’s gate “compassion is the most powerful of all weapons, do not mistake, my actions as passivity!”
She realised that she was acting in a certain way that reminded her of her father “if I didn’t know better I’d think you were acting like my dad … in more ways than one!”
“How clever!” Responded the whispering voice of the spider which could be made out to be feminine.
“Fine …. fine!” she said precociously as she came around to Brownies train of thought “lets jailbreak the beast!”
“Beast, BEAST!!” It repeated as if its feelings had been hurt.
“We’re sorry!” Blurted Brownie to salve the situation
“well, what is your name!” Asked Elkie as Brownie experienced the familiar feeling of Deja Vu
“Jn joro ! I am, well I used to be the keeper of the Temple of Marsly knowledge!” ….

“O!” recalled Brownie as she remembered the note to herself, if this was (the keeper) she’d told herself to find, she must approach the situation with delicate caution.

As the spider came into the light, they were met by a strange specimen indeed a spider with fur that looked altogether wolfish, but had the colour scheme of a bumblebee, black with overlaid stripes of Amber. Its abdomen was predominately old gold, apart from its tail that had a white stripe where its spinneret was located. Even its More arachnid parts seemed wholly not revolting as she looked with her right eyes, two were grand and functional and the other six gave the impression they were for reserve sight only.

“Ok!” Said the sprite to Elkie as the 2 of them huddled together to have a prep talk away from joro… “remember when Tallulah came down in that stingray creature!”
“Yeah!”
“You seemed to disappear and reappear about 10 yards away from the danger!”
“Yes!”
“Could you do it again? with something you were holding. with something bigger!” She Said As they both looked in the direction of the spider
“Maybe. but I’d have to feel the same as if something startled me!”

The two of them neared the great spider taking courage vicariously from one another as they egged each other to be boisterous. They could see what looked like an iron chain cuffed to one of the giant spiders’ thighs, and the other end fastened to the pillar that was holding up the ceiling.
They told Jn Joro they were both going to climb onto her back.
“What both of you?” Questioned Joro
“Yes, both of us …. it’s that or stay locked up!” Declared Elkie.

They could see its mind ticking over as they gazed at their reflection in her eyes that were as black as a top hat, how alien she appeared to them.

“Fine!” It whispered as she knelt to make it easier.

Her fur was as soft as mink as they mounted her bareback.
Brownie reset the scene in the young phantoms’ mind “I want you to… Cast your mind back… I want you to imagine!” Elkie closed her eyes as she tried to re-enact the scene in her mind “your standing on the tables in the market place and your dancing, there are many people laughing, cheering, clapping.”
“Yes” replied Elkie as if she was being hypnotised
“There’s something that doesn’t like the attention you’re getting!”
“Yes,”
“A creature of blackness, which does not like happy faces!”
“No!”
“It wants to destroy… the source of the joy,”
Brownie hugged the young ghost as she whispered in her ear “she wants to destroy you!!!”
“Her mistress Tallulah, is the worst one of all. You can see her a dark shadow as black as neptunite with eyes of burning amber,”
“Yes, I can see her!”
“She wants you, no. She must utterly destroy you!”
“Argh!” She cried

Brownie took her chance as she shoved Elkie trying to topple her off the back of the great spider it was enough as the ghost reacted, and they felt themselves phase and move instantly … it was like a tumble down a slide of water as it shifted you.

The two of them lay outstretched on their back as they looked up at the huge spider who was now free and, on her feet, as she peered menacingly above them. Their blood ran cold, and they could feel it in their bone marrow had they erred and made a misstep.

“I’m freeeeeeeeee!” It Said whilst dancing a jig with its eight limbs “and it’s all thanks to you!” It Said As it looked to be kneeling before them as much as something with eight legs could “I am indebted. To you, I will protect you, and SPIDERS ALWAYS keep their Promises!”

She loves me not

——-
Ūna and Vee lay on the cool burgundy grass next to a wicker picnic hamper that had hardly been touched, a bountiful picnic was planned but like the best-laid plans of mice and Martians, it didn’t quite go as intended. They lay on a blanket, side by side gazing up at the heavens above ,talking and sharing insights into the stories that had moulded their lives, some good, some sad and like a recipe, they wondered how the ingredients of vee and ūna, would turn out. What kind of thing would they create as they sat in the ruins of the ancient fort. The tall pillars and architecture were a flavour of colonialism it was a window into the older times as the ivy encroached around the old corbel stones of the remnants of the old bones of the fortress.

The only other onlooker was the great head of the sleeping centurion statue, that now was merely a relic to a bygone age; it was a bust that was half buried from the neck down. Many superstitions and customs were made involving fertility; a soft pseudo idolatry had grown up in the last decades, as they lay, huge leviathans asleep.
but una wondered, how many things must it have seen.

The views of the stars were magnificent tonight.

“Do you believe in fate” asked ūna as the eye of the silver moon shone on her lips, as she sat pulling petals off a flower as she wondered if her secret love was true.
“Sometimes I do!”
“Why so guarded?” She asked as she looked at him with the most powerful of spells the power of endless possibility.
“It’s something I don’t yet know,”

“I’ll show you!” she said throwing down the gauntlet as she leant toward him, and they kissed he held her in his arms as she clung on to his Torso, as they shed their clothing like cares. That needed banishing.

She loves me.
—————-

Midnight in Mārin village she walked in beauty and the light of the moons, it caressed her raspberry blonde hair as she hovered pensively in the peace of the silent night. Although she did not want to draw attention to herself, it was impossible not to see her walking in silent lucidity. Like one of the better angels of our nature that spelt out hope when all hope was lost.
And like the prose of the poem, life really was a reunion.

She waited beneath the Wyne trees,For a moment, in the sleeping street light, to see her love.
To meet him where the long grass grows.
by moon or starlight.

She often took in the night air. It was a tonic for a restless soul and good for her sobriety.
But tonight, she felt differently it was if a slow fuse had been lit, and it would only be a matter of time before a soft detonation would consume her.

She breathed the bitter sweet fragrance of moon flowers that fumigated the air; its scent was heavy and agreeable.

A secret rendezvous, no one could know, just her and her beloved.
As a cloaked figure waited by the bridge,
As the river Ylla glistened beneath the moonlight.
He clutched the riches of the night.
A starflower.

As li Kay stood there A figure in the lamplight.

They embraced; It had been so long,
“memories, do we deserve to feel what happiness is?” Asked Min
Li Kay answered, “I don’t think you get to choose.”
A single tear rolled down her cheek as she could see his eyes were full of vulnerability and yearning.
“You don’t know how long I’ve waited” He kissed her; She felt illuminated as she fell under his spell and remembered.
She ran her fingers through his silver hair as she recalled his scent and surrendered to her desires …. as she drank at his pool.

She loves me?

——-
As the dawn broke the lone soldier stumbled exhausted Ash Vani had marched nonstop, and now she was almost at her destination as she neared some old ruins if she could only make it to Mārin village.