THE QUEEN’S GARDEN

Jack and Camelin sat down at a long table for breakfast. Gwillam was busy giving orders and making last minute arrangements. Elan was nowhere to be seen. Nora brought them both a bowl of porridge.

‘Make sure you use a spoon Camelin. Now you’ve got hands you’re going to have to get used to using them. And no licking the bowl.’

Camelin pulled a face and waggled his head from side to side behind Nora’s back, then grudgingly picked up the spoon. Jack chuckled as Camelin grumbled.

‘I wish I had my beak back, food just doesn’t taste the same without it. It’s alright for you; nobody worries about your table manners.’

‘That’s because Jack’s always polite, even when he’s a raven,’ said Nora as she returned with a pile of clothes before putting them on the end of the table. ‘When you’ve finished breakfast I want you to go and make yourself look presentable. You want to make a good impression, don’t you?’

Camelin scowled.

‘I’m not going to impress anyone. They’ve all seen me already.’

‘But the Queen hasn’t.’

Camelin’s mouth fell open.

‘You too, Jack, go and sort your feathers out, some of them look a bit crumpled.’

Jack had been so busy worrying about the trial he’d forgotten the Queen had asked to see them. Then he remembered who’d be meeting them. They were going to have to see Winver and Hesta again. He wasn’t sure he was looking forward to that.

When everyone was ready they set off for the lake. Gwillam led them in the opposite direction to the way they’d come when they’d arrived. At the end of the village was an open space, in the middle of which stood a large stone.

‘This is known as The Clearing, the whole of Annwn can assemble here. The stone in the middle is a monolith, a speaking stone.’

‘You mean it talks?’ asked Camelin.

‘No,’ laughed Gwillam. ‘Whoever lays their hand upon it has the right to speak, everyone must listen until the speaker has finished. No one may interrupt.’

Camelin stood and looked wistfully at the monolith whilst the others went on ahead.

Jack flew onto his shoulder.

‘That monolith’s huge! I could do with one of them in my loft for when Timmery calls. I’d keep hold of it all the time, then he wouldn’t be able to speak at all.’

‘Whilst we’re on the subject of the loft, what was that problem you were going to tell me about?’

‘I might have tried a little bit of magic out on my own and…’

‘What are you two whispering about?’ asked Nora.

Camelin’s cheeks went red. He was saved from having to answer by Gwillam stopping and pointing towards another signpost.

‘The Eastern Crossroads,’ he announced.

Again, there were six ways. Gwillam explained where the pathways led.

‘The Eastern Gate is straight ahead, the next path climbs up to the mountain, this one goes to the amphitheatre and that one leads to the southern village by the swamp. It’s wet and boggy in the lowlands and floods quite regularly. The houses there are built on a platform with a causeway from the village to the dry ground.’

‘Amphitheatre?’ asked Jack as he looked around.

‘You can’t see it from here, we’re on the wrong side, but those three great hills in the distance are joined together. The middle hillside has seating cut into it all the way up from the ground to the top. It’s where the final celebrations take place at the end of every festival when all the people gather together. The best performers entertain the crowd with juggling, storytelling and singing. There’s always a mountain of food to share.’

‘What kind of food?’ asked Jack.

Camelin shook his head.

‘Is that all you can think about?’

Jack didn’t get a chance to reply as Gwillam sighed and then continued: ‘It’s all changed now. The people still gather but the treasures aren’t brought out. Velindur has them locked away in his room. The Ceremony of the Parting of the Ways hasn’t been performed for hundreds of years, not since the last visitors went back through the portals. Nobody’s seen the sword, the stone or the spear since then.’

‘It’s been even longer since the cauldron was here,’ added Nora. ‘If Velindur knew it was back it would be locked away with the rest of the treasures.’

‘Will it be safe in the village? What about Jed and Teg, do they know it’s there?’ asked Jack.

‘It’s safe,’ replied Nora and smiled. ‘A little bit of magic’s hidden it away from sight, I doubt anyone’s going to bother about a battered old kettle.’

‘But what if…’ began Camelin.

‘If anyone does take a fancy to it they’re going to find they’ve become very attached to it. I’ve applied a little sticking spell to the handle, they won’t be going anywhere if they try to remove it from Gwillam’s house.’

They all laughed.

‘What happens at the Ceremony, and why is it called the Parting of the Ways?’ asked Jack.

Nora sighed and looked longingly at the three hills in the distance.

‘It would start after the festivities had ended, when the light began to fade. It was a beautiful sight. Everyone would light a candle, then the four great treasures would be brought into the arena and their guardians would stand facing in the direction of the gateway to which each one belonged. The guests would rise and make their way to the centre of the arena. They’d stand behind the treasures, and four great processions would make their way to the portals of Annwn. The singing would begin and not stop until the guests were standing in front of their gateway. Anyone who’d accompanied them would say their goodbyes. That was where they would part, until the next visit.’

‘Now the cauldron’s back, will they do that when we go home?’ asked Jack.

‘Don’t you mean, if we go home? We’re still under arrest remember,’ grumbled Camelin.

Gwillam put his hand on Camelin’s shoulder.

‘Try not to worry.’

Nora and Gwillam walked on ahead. Camelin sighed and turned to Jack.

‘I only wanted to go to the fair.’

‘There’ll be another time. We’ll be able to go to the fair at Samhain.’

‘It’s going to be too late at Samhain.’

‘Too late for what?’

‘To sort out my dustbin.’

‘What dustbin?’

‘I’ve been trying to tell you since we got here. You know that bit of magic I tried, well I’ve got a dustbin in the loft.’

‘Why?’

‘For emergency supplies of course.’

‘How big is it?’

‘Dustbin size, like the one we gave Myryl.’

‘That big!’

‘It seemed a good idea at the time.’

‘But what’s that got to do with going to the fair in Annwn?’

‘I wanted to get an oracular frog. I need to know how many sweets I’ve got in the dustbin.’

Jack laughed and Nora and Gwillam turned round.

‘Shhh! I don’t want Nora to know.’

‘What are you two laughing about?’ asked Nora.

‘Camelin was telling me about oracular frogs,’ replied Jack.

‘I haven’t seen one of them in years, they’re supposed to be really good at predicting the weather…’ began Nora.

‘I thought they could predict anything?’ interrupted Camelin.

‘You won’t find many reliable ones, especially not at the fair, they’ve only got the ones nobody else wants,’ said Gwillam.

Camelin made a face and sighed.

Gwillam laughed.

‘They’re not as good as people make out, you know. Only the males predict the weather.’

‘I didn’t know that,’ replied Camelin and began to drag his heels.

‘Never mind,’ whispered Jack when Nora and Gwillam had gone on ahead. ‘Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have a dustbin in the loft.’

‘What if I don’t get to see my loft again? What if they lock me up forever?’

Jack didn’t know what to say. What if he wasn’t allowed to go home either? He shook his feathers. He wished he were free to fly and explore Annwn. Timmery and Charkle were off now on an adventure. He thought that after the trial he’d ask to go exploring with them. Then he felt guilty – it wouldn’t be fair to go without Camelin.

‘I wonder where Timmery and Charkle have gone today?’

‘Somewhere exciting I expect, where Timmery can practice being brave.’

‘Are you grumbling about Timmery again?’ asked Nora.

‘I just don’t think it’s fair, they’re off having fun, flying around and I’ve got to walk now. I was remembering what it felt like to fly, to have the breeze ruffling my feathers, to loop-the-loop…’

‘Come on,’ said Gwillam. ‘We’d better hurry or we’ll be late, it’s this way to the lake. Gavin will be waiting for us with the boat.’

There was a rustling from behind one of the trees. Jack flew up to have a better look. Jed and Teg were crouched behind it. He swooped back down and landed on Gwillam’s shoulder.

‘We’re being followed,’ he whispered. ‘Do you think they’ve heard us?’

Gwillam smiled then whispered back.

‘That’s why I’ve been giving you the guided tour. We’ve come to the other side of the lake. There will only be one boat here. They’ll either have to swim over to the Citadel or walk all the way round to where the other boats are moored. No one uses this side of the lake anymore and the only way into the Citadel from here is through the water gate, which leads into the Queen’s garden.’

‘Won’t they know where we’re going?’

‘They might work it out, but by the time they get back to report to Velindur the trial will be well under way. They won’t be able to speak to him until after it’s over.’

It wasn’t long before Jack could see the water’s edge. Gavin waved as they approached.

‘To the Citadel, boatman,’ Gwillam said loudly as he fished into his robe and brought out a large coin. ‘Here’s your donar.’

Gavin held the boat still while they got in. As soon as they were out of sight of the shore he handed Gwillam the donar back.

‘We’ve only got the one,’ he laughed. ‘We’re hoping that soon we won’t be needing donars at all.’

As they got closer to the island Jack could see an archway in a high wall. It was big enough for the boat to go through.

‘That’s the water gate,’ explained Gavin. ‘On the other side is a small lake and the Queen’s garden is a short walk from there. All the boatmen were forbidden by Velindur to use this entrance, but we’ve had permission from the Queen herself.’

As the boat drew alongside the jetty two white ravens swooped down from the tree they’d been perched in.

‘The Queen sends her greetings to you all,’ said Hesta.

‘Only Jack and Camelin may enter the garden,’ continued Winver. ‘She’ll see the rest of you later.’

Jack and Camelin got out of the boat and waved goodbye. Jack could hear the two ravens tittering. Hesta hopped forward.

‘Do you want to fly on ahead with me, Jack? Winver will bring Camelin.’

‘Er… er… I think I’d rather we all stayed together.’

‘Thanks,’ whispered Camelin.

The two white ravens hopped and skipped ahead towards a beautifully decorated silver gate. As Jack and Camelin approached it swung open. Inside, flowers bloomed everywhere. He could smell honeysuckle. Bees hummed noisily around a plant that cascaded over the tall wall surrounding the garden. In the centre, a black rock stood in a large fountain, water playing over its smooth surface. A group of apple trees provided shade for two stone benches. Hesta and Winver hopped onto one of them.

‘Won’t you come and sit with us while we wait for the Queen?’ croaked Winver.

Jack flew up onto Camelin’s shoulder.

‘I think I’ll stand if you don’t mind,’ Camelin replied as his looked down at his feet.

A movement from an open door caught their attention. A tall, slender young woman stepped out of the room into the garden. She held out her arms and Hesta and Winver immediately flew onto them and then hopped onto her shoulders. She looked at Jack and Camelin as she spoke: ‘You are most welcome. Annwn will be forever grateful to you both for restoring the cauldron and opening Glasruhen Gate. We have waited a long time for this moment.’

Jack felt unsure what to do. This must be the Queen, but she looked serene and very beautiful and didn’t have the three heads he’d expected. He swooped to the ground and bowed his head. Camelin bowed too.

‘Today will be a turning point in our history. I am restored to my former power thanks to you both. After today, Annwn will once again be the happy place it always used to be, and you two are going to help us to achieve that goal.’

‘But how?’ asked Camelin then added quickly, ‘Your Majesty.’

‘By being yourselves and answering any question you may be asked truthfully. Only the truth will set you and the people of Annwn free from Velindur’s misguided tyranny. No one, apart from you and my two ravens, know I’m whole again. I doubt any of the people would believe you if you said you’d seen me, but no matter, all will be revealed in time.’

Jack didn’t understand what the Queen meant but she spoke so calmly and confidently that he believed every word she said. She reminded him a bit of Arrana in her flowing robe. She was about the same height as Gwillam with a kind face and long chestnut hair. He remembered his Book of Shadows had called her Coragwenelan, Queen of the Fair Folk and Guardian of the Gateways of Annwn. She wasn’t wearing a crown or the sort of luxurious cloak Velindur wore. Maybe the robes and crown Velindur had belonged to the Queen. His question was answered when the Queen spoke to Hesta and Winver.

‘It’s time to get ready for the trial. Bring me my things, then you can escort Jack and Camelin to the Council Chamber.’

Hesta and Winver bobbed twice before swooping through the doorway. They came back carrying a fine white cloak embroidered with silver knot-work designs between them in their beaks. They draped it over the Queen’s shoulders and she tied it securely. Next Hesta appeared with a silver girdle. Coragwenelan took it and tied it around her waist. A long black velvet bag hung from one of the branches of the nearest apple tree; she unhooked it and took out a wand, which she tucked into the girdle. Lastly Winver brought a beautiful silver crown encrusted with small pearls. It was interlaced with knots and had an oval moon in the centre. On either side of the moon, facing away from each other were two crescent moons. The Queen slowly put the crown on her head.

‘Now we are ready, it’s time for you to go. Gwillam will be waiting for you by the Council Chamber. Farewell for now.’

Jack and Camelin bowed low but when they looked up the Queen had gone. Hesta and Winver hopped over to them.

‘Come on, follow me Jack,’ Hesta coaxed.

Before Camelin could do anything Winver landed on his shoulder and brushed her feathers on his cheek.

‘Shall we follow the others?’

They made their way through the Palace garden until they came to a high gate. It swung open as they approached and closed behind them. The noise coming from the crowd gathered around one of the glass towers got louder and louder as they approached. Hesta hopped into a sheltered passageway and rapped three times with her beak on a wooden door. Gwillam opened it.

‘Thank you,’ he said to the white ravens who bobbed up and down. ‘I will deliver Jack and Camelin to the chamber. Tell the Queen all is ready.’

‘I’m scared,’ whispered Jack as he flew up onto Camelin’s shoulder.

‘So am I,’ he replied.

Gwillam smiled encouragingly at them.

‘I have to leave you both now. The guards will take you to Velindur.’

A guard, dressed in a yellow and red uniform stepped forward and clamped Camelin’s wrists again with the iron cuffs. He tugged hard on the chain to make him walk. Jack heard the door slam and the footsteps of another guard following behind.