Once Upon an Autumn Eve

41

The next three weeks were a whirl of activity: Luc led an armed force out from Chateau Blu to harry Vicomte Gustave and his men from Luc’s demesne; upon their return from harassing the vicomte, Luc and Leon spent time recruiting and training armsmen, including sharpening the skills of the veterans, instruction having been woefully lacking during Guillaume’s reign.

Liaze and Adele, on the other hand, spent long hours speaking of offspring and titles and who would live where, for Adele would have Luc stay at Chateau Blu, and Liaze would prefer Autumnwood Manor; in the end they compromised, deciding that Luc and she would spend summers at the Lake of the Rose, and the remainder of the year in the Autumnwood; however, as soon as a second child was born to Liaze and Luc, upon reaching majority she or he would take over the reins of governance at the Blue Chateau. Until then, Adele, with Leon as her war leader and advisor, would govern while Luc was away. It was also during this time that Leon and Dorothee wedded, and she was a widow no more.

Gwyd and Twk spent their days exploring the chateau, and they found the secret alcove behind the wall where spies listened to conversations within the hunt room. The very next day Adele had the alcove bricked up.

Gwyd also often fished in the lake, sometimes from the walls of the chateau, at other times from a cockleshell. Twk accompanied Gwyd when the Brownie fished from the walls, but he refused to get in the small boat with Gwyd. “If it tips over, then I’m a goner,” said the Pixie. “A pike or trout would make short work of me.”

Twk and Gwyd also spent time in the chateau’s cellars, sampling, for Chateau Blu had a splendid selection of wines. “We be tryin t’find the best o’ the lot,” said Gwyd, “and so far each selection seems better than the last.” Gwyd and Twk also spent many mornings regretting this pastime, but the Brownie’s many-pocketed belt provided needed relief.

From the top of the battlements, Jester announced the coming of dawn every morning, and in a fenced area at the back of the chateau he found a small flock of egg-laying hens to keep him occupied. “His flying has improved,” said Twk, “what with his getting up and over and out of the chicken yard every day to announce the dawn, and then flying back in to see to his harem.”

Thus did three weeks vanish, but at the end of that time Luc and Liaze began preparing for the journey back to the Autumnwood, for King Valeray and Queen Saissa would be coming to Autumnwood Manor on their annual rade, and both the princess and the comte would have Liaze’s pere and mere bless their union, after which they would post the banns and begin planning their wedding.

And so it was an eightday later Luc, Liaze, Gwyd, Twk, Jester, and a retinue of nine set out from Chateau Blu for Autumnwood Manor, leaving Adele in charge of the demesne with Leon at her side.

The dark of the moon fell on that eve.

Starwise they went, on a bearing that some in the mortal world would call north, but in Faery it seems directions aren’t always what they appear to be. And so, Luc and Liaze and their retinue set their backs to the sunwise border and headed starwise, for Armsmaster Leon had fled that way with Luc as a babe, and starwise would take them back to his woodcutter’s cottage; he gave them a list of detailed instructions as to where to cross the seven twilight bounds so that they would not stray from the line.

In a leisurely fashion they rode starwise, and Liaze said, “This is certainly a much slower pace from that which I rode away from my manor on your trail, love.”

“Shall we go swifter?” asked Luc.

“Non!” exclaimed Liaze. “Please, beloved, non. I’ve had my fill of desperate journeys.”

Luc laughed and said, “As you will, cherie.”

And so on they fared, and they stopped in villages and inns and took meals and drank wine, and in the inns in the eves Liaze sang while Gwyd accompanied her on his silver harp.

After a moon and some of travel and after passing through six twilight borders-having fared across a realm of rivers wherein manned flatboats bearing cargo drifted in the flow; and having crossed a demesne of shallow lakes, their shorelines whispering with the rustle of reeds; and having ridden through a land of tall grass, where swift-running animals fled before them, white and tan animals much like deer, but blunt-horned, and with the tan limned in black; and having traveled through deep, quiet valleys of a snowcapped mountainous realm, where the wind sighed in loneliness; and having spent days coursing along the sands of a dune-laden seashore, where gulls wheeled and sandpipers ran and terns dived, the birds mewing and pipping and crying, and the blue ocean waves ever rolling-at last they came to the demesne wherein lay Laird Duncan’s manor.

Gwyd made enquiries, and then led the retinue to a village, where they found Laird Duncan readying a warband to retake his manse from the Goblins and Trolls. Gwyd told the laird what he and the princess had done, and he returned the decanters to Duncan. Luc pledged his men and himself to help Laird Duncan to recover his home, and the laird accepted gladly. But when the combined warband reached the mansion, they found nought but ruins, for it had burned to the ground.

Liaze gasped and said, “Ah, me, Gwyd, it seems the Goblins and Trolls were not accomplished firefighters.”

Twk upon Jester fluttered to the ground, and he and the chicken searched through the cold ruins, while the men spread out and scanned the surround.

Of the former occupants, no sign whatsoever did they find.

Laird Duncan looked at Liaze and Gwyd and he burst out laughing. “Ah, lass and laddie, it seems y’r method o’ getting rid o’ the Goblins and Trolls worked well, but I wish ye hadna gotten rid o’ my house, too.” And again he broke forth in gales.

“My lord,” said Liaze, “I will send aid to help you rebuild.”

“Ah, lass, f’rget it,” said Duncan, widely grinning. “I wanted a change in floor plans anyway.”

“Well,” said Twk, he and Jester black-smudged from their explorations, “can you dig all of the fallen-in burnt timbers from the cellars, you’ll have a good foundation as a start.”

As if in agreement, Jester took that moment to crow, and Laird Duncan laughed long and loud, the others joining in.

The next morning, with tearful good-byes, Luc and Liaze and their retinue set out starwise once more, Gwyd and Twk and Jester remaining behind to aid the laird in the construction of the manor.

“May ye twain e’er be happy,” had said Gwyd, snuffling back tears.

“Invite us to the wedding,” had added Twk.

Liaze had embraced her “howling one,” her own tears flowing freely, and Luc had saluted the two. And then they had mounted up and had ridden away.

On through the next shadowlight border they went, where they passed by the cursed castle, the stones yet speaking their Gwyd-set warning for folk to stay away. Two days later they reached Leon’s woodcutter’s cote, and Luc paused in memories awhile. Then on they fared to stop in the village of Ruisseau Miel, where they stayed at the inn.

The people of Honey Creek were glad to see Luc again, for he was well liked, and they were amazed that he was Comte Luc-a noble-for they had only known him as a woodcutter’s son. And would you believe it? he was betrothed to a princess, no less.

On rode Liaze and Luc and the men, and they passed through the Forest of Oaks. There Liaze saw Satyrs, but they kept their distance, for armed men fared with this maiden. Too, Liaze stopped to listen to a Faun play his willow-root pipe, and Liaze was be-spelled, rapt, her mind completely entranced, though Luc and the men found it a beautiful tune and no more. However, the men of the retinue did appreciate the air, for it brought a gathering of Nymphs to listen, and many a man’s loins ran hot with blood.

Beyond the following twilight border they came to the farmstead of Matthieu and Madeleine, and their sons Vincent, Thierry, and Noel, and the daughter Susanne. Susanne was overjoyed to see Luc, but though she sighed and her eyes were lost in what-might-have-been-if-only, she managed to smile at Liaze and not fall into fits of weeping.

They stayed at the croft that eve, and in spite of Matthieu and Madeleine’s protests Liaze and Luc and the retinue slept in the byre on sweet-smelling hay, but after a hearty breakfast, they bid au revoir and set out once more.

They forded a wide-running stream and passed by the Nixie pool, but none of the Water Nymphs did they see, though as they rode past a great swirl of water spun, as if something or someone swam below.

Days later they crossed another twilight border, to fare across a bleak land up the slopes of a mountain. At the crest of the col, a stone creature opened his eyes and said, his words ponderous, “Rrr.. I see you have found the one you sought, Princess.”

The men of the retinue gasped in surprise, but Liaze said, “Indeed, Caillou, I did.”

“And the witch?” asked Caillou.

“Properly punished,” said Liaze. “She is quite dead.”

“Um… fitting.”

Liaze sat silent for long moments, waiting, and at last Caillou said, “I… yet ponder your puzzle… um… Princess. No answer seems to… um… present itself.”

“I think it has none,” said Liaze.

More moments passed. “Good,” said Caillou, “for then I can… urm… long contemplate.”

Liaze glanced at Luc and then said to Caillou, “Au revoir, my friend.”

Small pebbles cascaded down from the mountainside as Caillou’s stony brow wrinkled. “Au revoir? That… rrr… means I will see you again?”

“Indeed.”

The crevice that served as Caillou’s mouth broadened, the rock splitting, more pebbles falling.“Then… hmm… au revoir.”

The stone eyes closed, and Liaze and Luc and the retinue rode down the far side, leaving Caillou to dwell upon the enigma posed moons past by Liaze.

Another day went by, but late in the eve they crossed the eleventh twilight border since setting out from Chateau Blu, to ride into the Autumnwood at last.

Liaze spoke to the Ghillie Dhu, and Sprites winged ’round and asked about the witch and the crows, and they cheered the news of Iniqui’s demise. And they flew ahead to alert the staff of Autumnwood Manor that the princess had returned, and she had her truelove at her side, along with a retinue of men.

And onward through the scarlet and gold and russet woodland rode Liaze and Luc and the escort, wee folk darting alongside, tree runners overhead, unseen things scurrying in the underbrush, all accompanying their liege. And the men of the retinue looked about in wonder at these happy and grinning fey folk, and smiled great smiles in return.

The entire household of the mansion stood on the lawn waiting for Liaze and Luc and their escort to come riding out from the brightly hued forest. There as well stood King Valeray and Queen Saissa, for they had come the previous day on their annual rade. Too, Borel and Michelle and a pack of Wolves waited, for they had returned from Roulan Vale and had stopped at the manor on their way to the Winterwood.

And a great shout of Hoorah greeted the princess and the men as they emerged at last from the trees. And, unable to contain themselves, the gathering rushed forward to greet Liaze and Luc and the others, Zoe squealing in delight and leading the charge, with her dress hiked up to run, Remy and Zacharie more dignified, yet not far behind. And the household surrounded the princess and her truelove, and they called out questions, voices babbling over one another.

Finally, Liaze, yet mounted upon Pied Agile, raised her hands and quiet fell. And she smiled down at her sire and dam and said, “King Valeray, Queen Saissa, I present my betrothed”-Liaze turned and smiled at her beloved-“Comte Luc du Chateau Bleu dans le Lac de la Rose et Gardien de la Cle.”

Among the crowd, Tutrice Martine gasped and fainted dead away.

That evening there was a grand ball, attended by a king and a queen, a prince and a princess, a comte and the daughter of a duke, as well as the staff entire of the Autumnwood, serving by turns as was the custom at such gatherings.

During a lull in the dancing, Valeray said to Luc, “I knew Amaury, your sire, Luc. He was a fine man, and he aided in the imprisonment of Orbane. He was also a splendid warrior, and a fitting man to be the Keeper of the Key. Guard it well, Luc, for if it comes to either Hradian or Nefasi gaining hold of it, then all of Faery will lie in peril.”

“You know of the key, Father?” asked Liaze.

“Indeed,” said Valeray.

“Hmm… would that I had known,” said Liaze. “Mayhap I would have been better prepared for what was to come, mayhap even prepared for Iniqui.”

“I am so glad she is dead,” said Saissa, glancing at Borel and Michelle across the ballroom, talking to the musicians. “It leaves but two of that dreadful sisterhood, two of Orbane’s acolytes, sorcerous witches who would do harm to my brood.”

“Speaking of the brood, Mother,” said Liaze, “where are Celeste and Alain and his Camille?”

“Oh, perhaps wishing they were here,” said Saissa, laughing.

Liaze smiled, and at that moment the music struck up again, and she was whirled out onto the dance floor by the handsome and dashing Luc.

A short while later, under a glitter of stars shimmering against a black night sky, on a balcony outside the chamber, Liaze reached up and took Luc’s face in her hands. “Kiss me, beloved, and I will kiss thee.”

And so they embraced and kissed most deeply, their passion flaring as bright as the wheeling skies above, there in the night, the star-spangled night, under the dark of the moon.