Chapter Fourteen

 

Through the Men an Tol

 

 

“When’s the next full moon?” Laurel muttered, riffling through the calendar on the kitchen table. “Bother and damn, the last full moon was when we were in Glastonbury. The next one won’t be ‘til near the end of July.”

“What are you whingeing about, my heart?” Sarie asked as she came into the bright kitchen from gathering eggs.

“The next full moon isn’t until the twenty-first. That’s two whole weeks away.” She was on the verge of tears.

“We can’t hurry the tides or the moon in her dance.” Sarie smiled as she hugged her about the shoulders over the back of the chair.

“Does it have to be the full moon?” Laurel leaned back her head resting against Sarie.

“It does, my love. Vear Du was very specific was he not? I don’t think anything will happen if you try before the full moon.”

“Do you think I could try? Would it screw it up if I tried too early and nothing happened? Do you think it would mean even if we went back when the full moon was rising and did everything right it wouldn’t work ‘cause we already tried?”

“I don’t know, child,” Sarie said thoughtfully. “I don’t know if it’s a one-time only thing or not. Perhaps you could see if Aisling can get a take on it from her little man.”

“You think we should ask Gwin Scawen, or maybe Vear Du?”

The more Laurel thought about it, the more she didn’t want to see Vear Du. It was all weird now she knew he was her grandfather. All that stuff about Gramma Bella and him, it was very unsettling.

She needed to talk to her mom about it, but it was hard to bring up the subject on the phone. I wonder if Dad knows who his real dad is. Maybe that’s why he’s so crusty about anything to do with magic or fairy stories. Her mom only talked about those kinds of things when her dad wasn’t around. Gramma Bella must have told him who his real dad was though. You would think! She would be pretty upset if someone knew things about her and didn’t say anything. It was all too confusing.

“Laurel! What are you thinking?”

“Sorry, Sarie.” She clambered out of the chair. “Is it okay if I call Ash and see if she’s talked to Gwin Scawen lately?”

“Of course, just don’t be too long. I need some help with the weeding in the herb bed. Come out when you’re done with Aisling.” Sarie picked up her gardening gloves from the counter by the back door and jammed an old hat on her head as she left the kitchen.

Five minutes later she burst into Sarie’s garden. Whooping, she grabbed Sarie in a wild hug. Words fell out of Laurel’s mouth too quickly to make any sense. Sarie gave her a small shake.

“Slow down child! What is it that’s got you in such a tizzy?”

Laurel took a deep breath and tried to contain her excitement. This news is just too good.

“I just rang off with Ash. Emily heard from the authorities, and since Daniel’s gone off again, Gort can stay with Emily until the courts decide if he can stay there for good! Can you believe it? Isn’t that just the best news ever?”

“Thanks be to the heavens.” Sarie’s face wrinkled into a huge smile. “That’s the best news in a while, innit?”

“I asked Aisling about going to Men an Tol before the full moon. She thinks we should wait and follow the instructions to the letter, but she’s going to ask Gwin Scawen when she sees him. I just want to go and get it done. Mom sounded really awful when I talked to her this morning.”

“Why’nt we wait and see what Aisling’s little man has to say before you go throwing the baby out with the bath water?”

Sarie knelt down beside the bed of basil and started to weed. Laurel sighed and moved over to the patch of rue and dropped to her knees on the springy grass. The sun beat down on the back of her neck; she wished she had thought to bring a hat from the mudroom.

The monotonous task of weeding allowed her mind to work itself around in circles. She wished Gwin Scawen would say it was a good idea to go to the Men an Tol before the full moon. Then she wished he would say no, they needed to wait until the full moon. The whole idea of crawling through the hole in the rock scared the bejeebers out of her. What’ll be on the other side after the ninth time through? She couldn’t deny the existence of magic and things that really shouldn’t exist in this world. After all, there was Gwin Scawen, Vear Du, and Belerion. They were certainly magic. What would a horse that hadn’t been born yet look like? A horse that hadn’t been foaled must be one which hadn’t been born yet, but… There was the whole thing about holding death in her hands, what was that supposed to mean? Sweat ran down Laurel’s back and stuck her hair to her forehead. The sweat wasn’t entirely from the heat of the sun, although she wouldn’t have admitted it to anyone.

Laurel finished with the rue and moved on to the patches of mint, peppermint, spearmint, and a type of mint, which actually smelled like chocolate. Who would have thought so many weeds could grow so quickly in the week since they weeded this part of the herb bed? The sun inched its way toward the zenith as she inched her way through the herb garden on her hands and knees, ferreting out the invading weeds. Just when she thought her knees were going to be permanently bent, Sarie straightened up and wiped her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

“That’s good for now.” Sarie surveyed the neat patches of herbs glowing greenly in the July sun. “Lordy, it’s hot, innit?”

“I’m gonna go and wash up. Everyone’s coming around one to take the ponies for a ride.” Laurel wobbled to her feet and stretched her arms above her head.

“It does seem like it’s time for a croust.”

“Ash and I thought we’d make a picnic, if it’s okay with you.” They stowed the weeding baskets and tools in the shed at the foot of the garden.

“Why of course, it’s all right, my love. I’ll pack up some of the pasties we made the other night.”

“Coll loves your pasties the best, but don’t tell Emily.”

The kitchen felt wonderfully cool when she stepped inside out of the bright sun.

“We’ll find something for a sweet as well. We need to put some meat on Gort; the lad’s all skin and bones.” Sarie threw her a towel from the pile by the washer in the mudroom.

“Ta.” Laurel caught the towel and washed up at the kitchen sink while Sarie used the sink in the mudroom.

Just a little over an hour later, they were jogging along the narrow lane north of Sarie’s. The thick bramble hedges on either side were fragrant with blossom, and the happy buzzing of the bees filled the sunlit afternoon. She jammed her battered cowboy hat further down on her forehead.

Lamorna tossed her head to dislodge an annoying fly. Arthur snorted to clear his nostrils of the bit of dust stirred by the feet of Aisling and Gort’s ponies ahead of them. She couldn’t make out what they were talking about. Gort’s thin face looked serious as he turned his head to answer something the dark haired girl said.

Laurel tipped her head back and took a deep breath of the soft warm air. The fragrant blossoms mingled with the earthy smell of the grass crushed by the ponies’ feet and the dry dirt of the track. As always, there was a slight salty hint of the sea. For the moment, the thought of the upcoming full moon and the trip to the Men an Tol were the farthest thing from her mind. It was so good just to feel Lamorna beneath her and savor the golden afternoon.

“Laurel?”

“Hmmm.” She turned her head to meet Coll’s eyes.

“What do you mean to do? At the Men an Tol, I mean?” Coll seemed unsure.

“I’m gonna crawl through the hole nine times like they all say I have to.”

“But then what,” Coll persisted. “What happens next…the whole holding death in your hand thing?”

“How should I know? Nobody’s shared that part of it with me.”

“Are you planning on taking a knife or something with you?” Coll kept following his line of questioning.

“No. Do you think I need a weapon?”

Coll shrugged and looked away. “There’s just the whole death thing. What if it’s dangerous for you? How are the rest of us supposed to protect you?” She watched Coll twist Arthur’s coarse black mane in his fingers.

“I’m not sure a knife is a good thing, unless maybe it’s made of silver.”

“Maybe we should ask Old Joseph if we can borrow his blackthorn walking stick,” Coll suggested. “You know the one you bashed Stuart with.”

“I guess we could. If you really think we need to. My dad always says you have to be careful about carrying a weapon because whoever you’re trying to protect yourself from could use it against you.”

“I s’pose.”

Her answer caught in her throat as Lamorna came to a sudden halt. Lamorna’s nose was only inches away from Gareth’s sturdy hind end. Gort and Aisling were stopped in the middle of the track and sitting half turned in the saddle waiting for them.

“It’s a good thing ‘Morna’s got brakes.” Amusement sparked in Gort’s eyes. “We thought you were gonna bash right into us.”

“Anything you care to share?” Aisling asked.

“Let’s talk about it while we picnic. Are we almost there yet?” Laurel said.

“We can cut across the field here and picnic by the bend in the stream.” Aisling waved her arm in the general direction of a small valley visible through a break in the brambles.

The ponies pushed through the narrow opening single file. Coll uttered some foul words as the brambles caught in his shirt and almost pulled him off Arthur. She managed to get through only snagging her hair once. Gort and Aisling came through unscathed much to Coll’s disgust. Grunting, Coll put Arthur into a canter and headed off down the narrow grassy path towards the stream. Aisling laughed and followed him on Ebony, leaving a trail of golden dust hanging in the still afternoon air. Gort brought Gareth up even with Lamorna, and they meandered quietly after Coll and Aisling.

“What were you and Ash talking about back there?”

“You,” Gort said, “and the M-M-Men an T-T-Tol.”

“What about it?” She hoped Gort and Aisling hadn’t changed their minds about helping her, although she could hardly blame them if they did.

“I d-d-don’t know how I can h-h-help. How am I s-s-supposed to know what to d-d-do?” Gort’s forehead wrinkled in distress. “I w-w-want to h-h-help.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do either, Gort. Other than crawl through the darned thing. I’m scared half to death thinking what if it doesn’t work and what if it does.”

“R-r-really…you always s-s-seem to b-b-be so sure that this is wh-wh-what will m-m-make your mum better.”

“I have to believe, or I’ll just crawl into a corner and cry.” Laurel blinked back her unshed tears.

“Ash says th-th-that we’ll know wh-wh-what we n-n-need to d-d-do when the t-t-time comes.”

“Did Aisling say if she’d had a chance to talk to Gwin Scawen?”

Gort shook his head. “I didn’t a-a-ask her.”

Gareth lifted his head and whinnied for Ebony and Arthur, who disappeared into the green folds of the small valley. Laurel grinned at Gort, and they let their ponies break into a canter.

By the time they caught up with Aisling and Coll, the picnic was unpacked and waiting for them in the shade of the trees overhanging a small pool formed by a bend in the stream. The sunlight filtered through the leafy branches falling in golden strands onto the grass.

In very short order, the ponies were taken care of, and they all settled down on the grass. It was quiet in the glade except for the sound of the stream and the ponies’ teeth tearing at the grass. The picnic Sarie prepared disappeared in record time. Coll lay back on the grass with a sigh.

“Those are the best pasties ever,” Coll said contentedly.

“You best not let Emily hear you,” Aisling teased him.

“‘Course not.” Coll opened one eye and grinned at Aisling.

“Did you talk to Gwin Scawen?” Gort didn’t stutter as he spoke with his mouth full of oatmeal raisin cookie.

“I saw him this morning. He had to scamper though; my mum almost caught me talking to him,” Aisling said.

“Did you get a chance to ask him about the full moon thing?” Laurel asked anxiously.

“First off, he said he thought you should wait for the full moon. He muttered something about the big ones not liking it when us ones don’t follow direction. I didn’t get a chance to ask anything else ‘cause my mum showed up.”

“Huh,” Laurel said disgustedly. “The full moon is two weeks away.”

“We’ll just have to wait and use the time to figure out what we need to bring with us.” Aisling patted her arm.

“I think we should take a weapon or something,” Coll said.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Aisling cautioned.

“Coll thinks we should borrow Old Joseph’s blackthorn stick.”

“The Stuart basher,” Gort said with satisfaction.

“Oh, that reminds me. I saw Stuart and his sister this morning in the high street, and he was actually civil to me,” Aisling said.

Coll snorted loudly and sat up to snag another cookie from the bag on the grass. “The sun must have risen in the west then this morning,” he said derisively.

“No, seriously, I think Stuart was actually trying to be nice,” Aisling said with puzzlement in her voice.

“Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt,” Laurel said. “Maybe he’s finally figured out there’s more to life than beating on someone.”

“Can if you want. Me, I’m gonna keep my guard up, just in case, like,” Coll said.

Gort said nothing. He just sat with his face all creased up with thought.

“I still reckon we need to talk about how to protect Laurel at the stone.” Coll returned to their earlier conversation.

“I don’t believe I’m gonna need protection. I have Vear Du’s talisman, and I’ll make sure I have it in my pocket the whole time.”

“That’s a pretty strong protection, innit?” Gort spoke quickly.

“I think so, too, you,” Aisling agreed.

“I still want something, you know, bigger,” Coll persisted.

“You should only carry the protection of your convictions,” Gwin Scawen said, stepping into a strand of sunlight by the stream.

“Bloody Hell,” Coll swore as he leapt to his feet.

Gort swallowed loudly and fixed his eyes on Gwin Scawen as he strode purposefully across the grass. Laurel smiled at him in welcome. Aisling extended her hand to Gwin as he scrambled into her lap.

“Do sit down, Coll,” Aisling said mildly.

“We don’t need to take weapons, do we?” Laurel addressed Gwin Scawen.

“It would be a grave mistake to go bearing instruments of aggression,” Gwin Scawen said, after he polished off a bit pastie he found in the folds of Aisling’s trousers.

“How’re we supposed to protect her then? Little rough with nothing to hand, innit?” Coll blurted out belligerently.

“There is a time for physical protection, I agree,” said Gwin Scawen looking at Gort. “However, she will require the protection of your company and the quality of the conviction in your hearts to accompany her into the Otherworld.”

“We have to go to outer space or something?” Coll clearly wasn’t sure exactly what the little brown man meant.

“No, you only need go through the mist into the world parallel to this every-day one.” Gwin spoke, holding Coll’s eyes with his own.

“Is it where the Filly that Never Was Foaled is, the one I need to meet?” Finally, someone to ask about the questions banging around in her head.

“She is there, yes. She will come partway into this world to help you on your journey, and you others as well.” He nodded at Coll, Gort, and Aisling.

“Wh-wh-what if I’m t-t-too scared to follow her?” Gort said. Sweat shone on his forehead, and his hands trembled.

“It is the desire in your heart that counts. If what you truly wish is to go and help her in whatever way you can, then the fear clouding your mind won’t stop you. The desire must be stronger than the fear, or you must stay behind and guard the stone for their return.” Gwin Scawen slid down from Aisling’s lap.

“How will I know what to do?” Laurel asked.

“Cease worrying about what you will do and what choice you will make. You know you must go through the hole nine times at moonrise on the night of the full moon. When the choice or decision is before you, the best course of action will be clear to you.” Gwin Scawen stood by her knee and rested his gnarled brown hand on her leg. “Remember to carry Vear Du’s talisman with you. If you must relinquish it to the Guardian for his scrutiny, be sure to bargain for its immediate return to you before you let it leave your hand.”

She nodded her agreement. Suddenly, Gwin lifted his head and looked to the west.

“I must away now. Heed my words well, Little Seeker,” Gwin spoke. “I will see you this evening, will I not?” Gwin Scawen addressed Aisling.

“By the stones, are the others coming?”

“To be sure, tonight we dance and sing and celebrate!”

Gwin Scawen stepped into a strand of sunlight and winked out of sight.

“Damn me, I hate it when he does that.” Coll rubbed the back of his neck.

“C’mon, it’s getting late.” Aisling gathered up the remains of the picnic and stowed them in the pouch on Ebony’s saddle.

Laurel turned Lamorna’s nose up the path out of the clearing by the stream. The closer the full moon got, the further away it seemed. A part of her was glad it was still a couple of weeks away, the part of her that woke her up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat and breathing hard.

She wasn’t sure it was a good idea for her friends to come with her. What if she was required to die or go with death, or whatever the whole hold death in her hands thing meant? She knew she couldn’t allow the others to die because of her. Saving her mom was Laurel’s problem, not theirs. At any rate, four lives for the price of one was a poor bargain.

There was no way of stopping Coll, Gort, and Aisling from coming to the Men an Tol with her. She did think she could she could manage to leave them at the stone after the ninth time through. Gort was so scared and Coll was too, in spite of his big talk. Aisling was the only one who seemed comfortable with the concept of the parallel world Gwin Scawen talked about.

Laurel rejected the idea of Aisling coming with her after some consideration. What would Gort do without Aisling? And what would Aisling’s crazy mother do if Aisling disappeared, or was found dead out on the moor? All hell would break loose, and Emily, Sarie, Coll, and Gort would suffer for it. The best thing to do is to go with the horse lady alone, if the horse shows up at all. Now she had a sort of plan, and it was good to know no matter what happened her friends would be safe.

 

 

* * *

The next two weeks passed too slowly for Laurel. Her mind was set on a course of action, and she just wanted it to be over and done with. She ignored Aisling’s efforts to discuss what she wanted to do after she crawled through the Men an Tol and just kept saying she didn’t know. Fear crawled up Laurel’s spine whenever she thought about the upcoming full moon. It would be too easy to confide in Ash, let Aisling talk her out of going on her own. She spent a lot time talking to Lamorna; the big black pony was a willing listener, and best of all, the horse couldn’t tell anyone what she knew.

 

 

* * *

Finally, the evening of the full moon came around. Laurel talked to her mom twice on the phone; she sounded so tired and far away. It seemed her mom was using all her strength just to keep her soul in her body. Dad relented and promised if Mom wasn’t feeling a lot better in a couple of days, Laurel could come home and be with her. The fact her dad was agreeing to bring her home scared her more than anything else so far. Mom must be really weak. Laurel went with Sarie to pick up Emily, Coll, Gort, and Aisling, late in the afternoon. After a light supper of soup and toast, the four friends left Sarie and Emily drinking tea in the kitchen, while they went out to get the ponies ready for their ride to the Men an Tol.

“I wish Sarie and Emily could come with us,” Aisling said. Ebony turned her large head and nudged Aisling in agreement.

“Me too, but we have to go on our own.”

“I think Sarie and Gramma are planning to come out in the car after the moon is up. I heard Gramma talking to Sarie when she thought I wasn’t listening.” Coll slipped Arthur’s bridle over the pony’s ears.

“Th-th-that’s not s-s-such a b-b-ad thing. Wh-wh-what would happen to the p-p-ponies if we don’t c-c-come back?” Gort stroked Gareth’s wide forehead.

“As long as they don’t show up before the moon does,” Laurel said absently.

She toyed with the idea of asking Sarie and Emily to come in time to stop the others from coming with her. But that would break the stupid rules she agreed to. Laurel figured she would just have to give them the slip while she crawled through the stone. She would just wing it as the situation developed. Her mind wouldn’t stay focused long enough for her to formulate any kind of real plan.

The sun was just sinking below the western horizon as they swung up on the ponies outside Sarie’s cottage. Emily and Sarie stood in the yard to see them off.

“Good Luck and God Speed.” A worried frown marred Emily’s features. “Stay safe,” she added, gazing on Coll and then Gort’s slight figure.

“Take care of my ponies, you,” Sarie said gruffly.

“I will,” Laurel promised. “Thank you for everything, Sarie.” She wanted to be sure Sarie knew how grateful she was for the loan of the ponies and getting to stay with her. Just in case.

“Go on with ya. I’ll see you before moon set.” Sarie flapped her hand.

The last light of the sun illuminated the small cottage and barn, laying long shadows across the garden. Gathering up Lamorna’s reins, Laurel lifted her hand in farewell and started down the lane. The others filed after her in the gathering dusk, the reflective tape on their stirrups and bridles shining in the dark.

Crickets sang, and the first calls of the night birds echoed across the fields. The shadows gathered faster in the narrow lane between the thick brambly hedges. Laurel was glad once they were out on the open moor where the twilight lingered much longer. The faint twilight continued to fade as the little group silently made their way toward the Men an Tol. The first stars of the evening were sparking in the night blue sky before anyone spoke.

“You’re sure ya want to do this?” Coll tried one more time to talk her out of it.

“You know I have to,” Laurel said quietly. “You guys go back if you want. I would really feel better if you did, actually.”

“You’re not getting rid of us that easily,” Aisling said stoutly. “We promised to come with you, and we will.”

“M-m-me too,” Gort chimed in. His face was paler than usual even in the starlight.

Coll grumbled under his breath as he turned to look across the starlit moor in the direction of the holed stone. Unlike the last time they visited, the night lay quiet and tranquil around them. The twilight deepened to night, more stars appearing in the clear sky. Mist began to gather in the hollows and along the low stone wall. It drifted across the track as they rode along; soon it swirled in waves around the ponies’ legs. Aisling checked her watch with the torch she took out of her jacket pocket.

“We have about twenty minutes before the moon should start to come up,” Aisling said quietly as they rode side by side.

“Thanks, Ash. You don’t have to do this, you know. I can do it alone.” She reached over and squeezed Aisling’s hand as she spoke.

“No more of that now,” Aisling admonished her. “We’re coming and that’s that.”

There was a luminous glow on the horizon heralding the coming of the moon when Laurel slid down from Lamorna’s back. Around her, she could hear the rest of them dismounting as well. It was hard to make anything out clearly; the mist was thickening, and the sky was still lit only by the stars. The glow on the horizon strengthened while they removed the tack from the ponies. The ponies wouldn’t stray far from where they were. Sarie and Emily would come and fetch them if Laurel and her friends didn’t come back. She still hadn’t figured out how to leave the rest of them behind. At the moment, she was too scared to think about anything except her mom. Aisling appeared out of the mist on her left, and Coll and Gort came up on the right.

“Right then; it’s time,” Coll said.

Holding hands, the four friends walked through the mist toward the low stones. Coll’s hand shook in hers. Laurel tightened her fingers around his, as much to keep her own from shaking as to comfort Coll. The rise where the Men an Tol stood was clear of mist as they arrived; around them, the vapors formed a circle rising higher than their heads. Above them, the sky was clear and bright. Aisling checked her watch again. It was hard to see the horizon for the thick mist, but mist or no, the moon was beginning to rise.

“I think you should start now,” Aisling said softly. She hugged her tightly. “Good luck, you.”

Laurel’s fingers closed around Vear Du’s talisman, and she sent a prayer out into the night. This has to work. It has to make Mom get better. I don’t care what it costs me.

She smiled at Gort and Coll before squatting down in front of the hole and peering through.

“Does it matter which way I go through?” Why didn’t we think to ask that particular question before now?

“Go sun-wise, east to west, I think.” Aisling sounded worried.

“Okay, here goes nothing.” Her voice broke.

Before she could chicken out and run screaming into the mist, Laurel stuck her head into the hole. She wriggled through and landed in a heap on the dirt and grass on the other side. Nothing felt any different, nothing looked any different. Well maybe the mist was a little thicker and beginning to glow as the moon started to peep over the horizon. She repeated the process while Coll, Gort, and Aisling watched anxiously. Laurel could tell Coll was seriously creeped out and probably wishing he borrowed Old Joseph’s blackthorn cane. Gort trembled, looking like he wanted to be sick. Aisling watched the hole intently and monitored the growing light of the rising moon.

“One more time, this is the ninth time through,” Aisling said encouragingly.