Moon Chase - A Fellhounds of Thesk Story Read online

  ‘Here you are innocent, as we know you are, Wil Calloway. Please, treat this as your home.’

  She beamed warmly. From the moment that she had walked into the warm, welcoming room the tight stance that Lady Élanor had held throughout the morning seemed to melt away. But Wil found it far harder to shake off his gloom.

  ‘Thanks… although really I’m still a prisoner aren’t I. I mean, I can’t go to my home or even let anyone know I’m still alive – for the moment!’ he said without trying to hide his bitterness. A lump stuck in his throat and he pretended to look at the fire place as he fought back tears of frustration and fear. He still couldn’t understand why a simple act that was meant to help someone in trouble had turned into such a nightmare – and could very well end with his own death! He tried to put thoughts of the Moon Chase out of his head but the sight of the Wraithe Wolves’ heads in that dingy hall had burned into his brain. How on earth was he going to defend himself against animals like that?

  Lady Élanor opened a window and looked out over the garden.

  ‘I am truly sorry for what has happened Wil and I will do everything in my power to help you…’ She paused for a moment and then turned to face him. ‘Maybe, if you had not been found by Cedric, but by someone else - or maybe, if Cedric had found his son before you got there… Seth is his only child – there was an older brother but he died before Seth was born.’

  ‘What happened?’ asked Wil, trying not to think of all the different ‘maybes’ that might have improved his current predicament.

  ‘Almost fourteen years ago Cedric and Gwenny, Seth’s mother, were travelling back across the fells. It was just after their baby son, Marcus, had turned two years old and they had been to visit Gwenny’s family at Little Thesk to celebrate - a journey that took them close to Tel Harion. But Wraithe Wolves had never been seen there back then so everyone thought it was safe. Unfortunately they were late leaving. Gwenny’s mother begged them to stay another night but they chose to travel home, thinking that they had plenty of time before night fall.’ Lady Élanor’s pale eyes filled with sadness as she re-counted the tale.

  ‘Where was Seth?’ interrupted Wil.

  ‘He had not been born. Gwenny was carrying him at the time but she did not know it just then.’

  ‘So what happened to Marcus?’

  ‘The young family were riding along the edge of Tel Hireth when Cedric’s horse fell. Cedric wasn’t hurt but the horse had a deep cut down its leg. Cedric did what he could to stop the blood and proceeded on foot, as they were now too close to home to turn back. But as they made their way up onto Thesker Fell a full-moon appeared from behind a cloud and lit up the Fell before them - there, in their path, stood a huge Wraithe Wolf.’

  ‘How did it get there?’ Wil asked, wide-eyed. He tried to remember what she had told him earlier in the Great Hall.

  ‘I thought you said that they lived on Tel Harion? Why was it on Thesker Fell? – isn’t that miles away?’

  ‘Drawn by the smell of the horse’s blood probably.’

  ‘What did Cedric do then?’

  ‘He told his wife to take the baby and ride to safety while he tried to tackle the wolf, but as she spurred her own horse into a gallop it took fright and reared throwing both Gwenny and Marcus to the ground. The horse ran away and, fortunately for the family, the wolf disappeared after it.’

  ‘So, did that give them time to get away?’ asked Wil.

  ‘Yes, but remember, Wil, Marcus was only a small baby. He had fallen a long way when the horse reared and when Gwenny realised he was not crying she rushed to him only to find that his neck had been broken in the fall.’

  ‘What happened to him?’

  ‘He was dead, Wil. That walk home must have been the most painful few hours of Cedric and Gwenny’s lives – carrying their dead son home, when only hours earlier they had been celebrating the second anniversary of his birth.’

  ‘That’s really bad,’ Wil said. Despite everything, he couldn’t help feeling sorry for Cedric and Gwenny. Lady Élanor continued.

  ‘About a month later Gwenny, still mourning the loss of her first-born child, discovered that she was carrying another baby. Suddenly her life was filled with joy and hope, but Cedric’s was filled with guilt, and fear that something might happen to take this child from him, too. From the day that Seth was born Cedric has watched him like a hawk. But he has also driven him hard – it’s almost as if he wants Seth to be as good as two sons - himself and the brother Seth never knew. Unfortunately for you, when Cedric found you trying to help Seth, it looked to Cedric like you were trying to take his last remaining son from him.’

  Wil opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment there was a loud crash followed by a girl’s voice uttering language that Wil had only ever heard before when the shepherds came down off the hills to shear the sheep!

  ‘Tally! TALASINA! We have company!’ Lady Élanor exclaimed. Her cheeks flushed red and she dashed out of the room in the direction of the commotion.

  ‘What?’ said a cross voice. ‘Sorry… but the b-blinking chair slipped! Why is the Oil of Cloves on the top shelf anyway? You’re lucky I didn’t break my neck!’

  Intrigued and desperate not to be left alone with his thoughts, Wil followed the noise. He found Lady Élanor standing over a decidedly cross-looking silver-haired young girl who was sitting on the flag-stoned kitchen floor – everything was covered in white powder; an up-turned basket lay under the kitchen table, dried herbs and flowers were scattered over the floor among pieces of broken pottery and a chair lay on its side. Despite the liberal coating of flour, Wil recognised the silver hair and pale blue eyes of Tally.

  ‘Oh my goodness,’ cried Lady Élanor. ‘What have you broken? I hope it’s not the angelica, Talasina? You know how long it takes to grind!’

  ‘No, it’s only flour … and just in case you were wondering – I’m fine!’

  Wil, trying not to laugh, stepped forward to help the girl to her feet. He kept his lips pressed firmly together and focused on the floor but another flash of blinding pain seared into his brain like a lightening bolt - he clutched his head and cried-out. Tally either ignored his pain or hadn’t noticed, Wil wasn’t sure but the pain went as quickly as it had come

  ‘I don’t need any help! And you can stop laughing at me!’ she said testily.

  ‘I wasn’t laughing!’ Wil gasped.

  ‘You were – I could feel you laughing at me!’

  ‘That’s enough, Talasina!’ scolded Lady Élanor. ‘Master Calloway was trying to help – and you do look quite ridiculous with flour all over your face! Go and clean yourself up and come back when you have recovered your own sense of humour!’

  Tally scrambled to her feet and flounced out of the room, clouds of flour billowing in her wake.

  ‘I’m afraid Talasina takes herself much too seriously,’ said Lady Élanor calmly surveying the debris. ‘Would you like some elder wine… or a herbal tea, perhaps? I suspect you are also hungry – I assume you ate the porridge I sent down at breakfast time?’

  Without waiting for an answer Lady Élanor glided efficiently around the kitchen. She gestured for Wil to take a seat and the spilt flour seemed to vanish in an instant and in no time at all three glasses, the bread board, plates and cutlery were laid on the table. These were quickly followed by a freshly baked loaf from the oven and golden butter marbled with tiny veins of salt that glistened in the late afternoon sunlight that now shone in through the kitchen window.

  ‘Elder wine?’ she asked and filled two goblets with ruby-red liquid.

  Suddenly parched, Wil took a great gulp of the cool, refreshing drink and then looked around. Gleaming copper pots and pans of every size hung from the ceiling and, as in the living room, herbs tied neatly into bunches, weird-looking plants and strange-shaped, coloured bottles crowded the walls and shelves.

  ‘After you have eaten I will show you to your room and we’ll find some clean clothes for you – we have a whole ran
ge of shapes and sizes from the Infirmary, so I’m sure we’ll have something that will fit you.’

  ‘I want to know more about the Moon Chase?’ said Wil, picking at a thick slice of buttered bread that had just been laid before him. Although he was hungry, the dark shadow of the trial crept back into Wil’s mind, filling his whole body with dread.

  ‘Not today, Wil,’ said Lady Élanor in a tone that really did mean ‘Not today’.

  But seeing his badly hidden anxiety she went on in a lighter tone. ‘First I will introduce you to the rest of Lovage Hall – there are places here that you are free to roam and others that you must not enter unless you are with Tally or me. We will talk about the Moon Chase properly in the morning.’

  Despite the feeling of dread that gnawed at his insides Wil couldn’t help liking Lovage Hall; as soon as he had walked through the front door he’d felt welcome and safe and, although he was sure he was imagining it, somehow he felt protected.

  Settling into bed that night in what had been described by Lady Élanor as ‘the guest room’, Wil reflected on the tour that she had given him of her home that evening, after which he had devoured the most delicious cold ham and mashed potato followed by the best bread and honey that he had ever tasted.

  Lovage Hall was, Wil had discovered, built around an entirely enclosed court-yard. The town’s infirmary took up the whole of the south side, while Lady Élanor and Tally lived in the rest of the house. The infirmary was run by Lady Élanor, with help from her sister. Together they looked after the town’s cuts and grazes, measles, mumps, births and deaths. The infirmary was the first place that Lady Élanor had instantly forbidden Wil to enter alone. She did, however, allow him to peer briefly through the doorway. Of the six beds, two were occupied by coughing children; in another lay a man with a nasty rash over his face and arms – ‘Bees!’ Lady Élanor had whispered.

  In the furthest bed, Wil could just make out a small motionless mound. A worried-looking woman had glanced up when Lady Élanor opened the door, but paid no more attention to them and continued to stroke the patient’s brow. Lady Élanor did not say who was lying there - but she didn’t need to.

  Above the infirmary and the kitchen there were seven bedrooms in all – one, of course, was Lady Élanor’s room and another was Tally’s. Both doors to these rooms remained closed and a big wooden sign with the words, ‘TALLY’S ROOM - KEEP OUT’ hung from one. The guest room was already made up for Wil. Raw irony bit into him when he looked into the neat little room.

  ‘Oh, well, at least no-one had to bring up my luggage - ‘cos I haven’t got any! Not even my sword!’ he said with a false laugh.

  Lady Élanor ignored him and led the way back down to the living room that Wil had seen when he first arrived. Together with the kitchen, the two rooms took up most of the north and west sides of the house but butting up against the infirmary in the eastern corner of Lovage Hall was a magnificent library, packed with more books than Wil had thought existed in the whole world! The library had a high gallery at one end that was stacked with huge leather-bound volumes. Lady Élanor tried in vain to get Wil to go up and have a closer look, but the only route was via a rickety old ladder that did not look like it would take her bird-like frame, let alone someone of Wil’s stature.

  The court-yard was accessed from either the kitchen or the infirmary. It was a mind-boggling mass of colours and fragrances - following the theme of the front garden. Lady Élanor had explained that every flower, plant and herb had its own healing properties and every one was used to treat the ailments and injuries brought to the Hall on a daily basis. She told him on no account was he ever to pick any of the plants unless she, or Tally, were with him. She pointed out angelica, mandrake, saxifrage and moonwort as they walked and explained the powers of each plant that she named, but after the fourth Wil gave up trying to remember them and just nodded politely, hoping that she wouldn’t test him later!

  With the grand tour almost finished they were heading back towards the kitchen when Wil spotted a tiny window next to the kitchen.

  ‘What’s in there?’

  ‘That is the pharmacy. It is the one place that you are forbidden to enter, Wil.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘The flowers and herbs you see growing here look harmless, I am sure – and many are: but once ground, powdered, blended or mixed, there are some that are so powerful that just the smallest hint of vapour could kill a grown man in an instant.’

  ‘So why can’t you use that stuff on Wraithe Wolves?’ asked Wil – the dark shadow lurking in the back of his mind loomed large once more.

  ‘It’s not that simple, Wil. We know how these medicines work on people but there is no guarantee that a drug will have the same effect on another species. Take henbane - a highly effective pain killer. But, if administered incorrectly, it is a deadly poison to a man. But one of the Fellhounds accidentally ate some when we were treating its master once and it went insane.’

  ‘Didn’t it die?’ Wil asked, wide-eyed.

  ‘No, unfortunately it did not; it viciously attacked another hound and its master and then ran up on to the Fells - the Fellmen had to destroy it. I cannot imagine what might happen if we gave some to a Wraithe Wolf – already a vicious killer!’

  Wil’s stomach rolled over and he spoke with a very dry mouth.

  ‘Oh – that makes me feel so much better!’

  It was long past dawn when Wil woke the next morning. He lay there under a bright orange blanket, warm and comfortable, and feeling surprisingly better. As in the jail, he had slept extremely well and the nightmare of the day before seemed so far away that he almost believed it had been a bad dream. But as he washed and dressed to go downstairs he felt the dark shadow creeping back over him – no, it wasn’t a dream and the Moon Chase was one day nearer!

  With a heavy heart, he trudged downstairs into the living room and looked over at the dresser half-expecting to see Pricilla but the room was deserted. Hushed voices came from the kitchen, but as he moved to join them he noticed that the front door was ajar. A shard of bright morning sunshine cut across the room and the gentlest of breezes wafted in heady scents of the garden flowers. Wil stood still and held his breath – he could sneak out now and make a run for it. He was pretty sure he could remember the way back to Tel Hireth and to where he had found Seth; from there, he was certain he could find the path back through Mistle Forest to his own village. The thought of his home and his mother, who would be very worried by now, filled him with desperation to escape. He raised his foot to take a step.

  The next second Wil was on his knees - his brain threatening to burst out of his head.

  ‘THEY WILL FIND YOU! THEY WILL FIND YOU!’ A voice screamed over and over. He put his hands over his ears to stop the noise but it wouldn’t shut up – it was inside his head!

  ‘Wil! Wil! What are you doing? Talasina, stop it! Stop this now!’ Wil could hear Lady Élanor shouting at her sister and then she gripped Wil by the shoulders just before he passed out.

  ‘What the..? I…’ he croaked. The noise stopped as quickly as it had started. He sank forward and leant his sweating forehead on the cool wall. Lady Élanor rounded on her sister.

  ‘What, by the moons, do you think you are doing, Talasina?’ she said in a shaking voice.

  ‘He was going to try to escape! I had to do something! Why do I always get told off when I’m the one trying to help – oh, this is so unfair!’

  Tally stormed back into the kitchen and slammed the door leaving Wil shaking - still on his knees.

  ‘I’m sorry Wil, I should have told you. Are you alright?’ Lady Élanor kept her hand on his shoulder. ‘Was she right? Were you going to run?’

  ‘No… I… Should have told me what?’

  Then, anticipating a return of the excruciating pain that had just ripped into his brain he braced himself and whispered, ‘I thought I would be able to out-run them. I want to go home… I don’t want to do the Moon Chase, I haven’t got a chance! I just
want to go home!’

  Tears streamed down Wil’s face. He leant against the wall and let the despair envelop him. He dragged his sleeve across his nose.

  ‘I just want to go home!’ he whispered – his voice was hoarse and angry.

  ‘I know Wil, and I am so sorry, but there is no choice – this is the only way you can be free.’

  Wil sat in sullen silence at the kitchen table. Lady Élanor had gone to the Infirmary to look for Tally. A very short, plump woman bustled about. She tutted and sighed, and every now and then she threw Wil a disparaging look and stirred an array of steaming pots on the range.

  What hadn’t Lady Élanor told him? And why did he feel like his head was about to explode every time he saw Tally?

  He had put all thoughts of escape from his mind - for the time being at least. If only he could find out who had attacked Seth then he would be freed and wouldn’t have to go on the Moon Chase. Just thinking the words Moon Chase made him feel sick. If he wasn’t allowed a Fellhound what was he supposed to do? Perhaps they planned to use him as bait? Perhaps they would make him stand on the Fell in the dark and wait for the moons to shine on him to make him easier to find? Maybe they would cut him to draw the wolves out with the scent of his blood? Maybe-

  The kitchen door opened and Lady Élanor and Tally, obviously still sulking, walked into the room.

  ‘Breakfast is nearly ready,’ said the tutting woman. ‘Are you going to eat with him?’

  It was clear that this was not her preferred option, but Lady Élanor smiled and nodded.

  ‘Yes, of course, Martha. Master Calloway is our guest.’

  ‘So you say - but well, on account of him being a condemned -’

  ‘Martha, I think that Bryn could probably do with some breakfast by now – would you like to take it to him?’

  ‘Oh, well I’ve just got to add the cream to the scrambled eggs…’

  ‘That’s fine, Martha, Tally can finish them off. I’m sure they will be delicious, don’t worry. Now, take your husband some breakfast before it gets cold!’