The Wolf and the Sorceress - The King's Magician

8/21/2019 The Wolf and the Sorceress - The King's Magician

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Brian P Pemberton was born in England, North

London, in 1946. He is now retired, living in Portugal

with six cats that adopted him when they were kittens.

Brian has always written and is busy writing a further

five stories to finish the series.


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For my late Mother who was my greatest critic:

My love and thanks

Thanks also to my friend Peter Chancellor for the

cover design.


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Br i an Pemberton

T H E W O L F N D T H E

S O R C E R E S S

T H E M G I C I N


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Copyright Brian Pemberton

The right of Brian Pemberton to be identified as author of this

work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and

78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the

publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to thispublication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims

for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British

Library.

ISBN 978 1 84963 880 7

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2014)

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.

25 Canada Square

Canary WharfLondon

E14 5LB

Printed and bound in Great Britain


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Chapter 1

Nemeila

Somewhere to the west of the foresters cottage, a lone wolf

howled. Food had become scarce so it had parted company

with its pack in the hope of finding a kill. He was the alphamale of his pack and larger than all the grey wolves that

claimed the forest and fields as theirs. No one dared standagainst him: his every look was law. Having sniffed his way

into a small bosky clearing in the forest, the scent of his nextmeal drifted across his flaring nostrils. The smell activated his

saliva glands, and by the time his keen eyes had sought out the

source of the appetising odour, his muzzle was dripping. Hisfirst thought was that the small oddly shaped metal box might

be some new kind of cunning trap, but hunger soon overcamehis doubts and he cautiously crept towards the open container.

The wolf licked the strings of drool from his muzzle and

then scanned the clearing to ensure there was nothing larger orbetter armed to steal the food from under his nose.

The bundle of silk wrappings shifted under his steady

gaze. It promised a larger feast than his recent meagre meals,and his jaws yawned in readiness for the kill. As he pushed his

muzzle into the folds of cloth and was about to close drool-wetteeth round a fleshy arm, a dazzling light scorched his eyes.

Then as it faded and he regained his sight, instead of biting

into the babys arm the wolf clamped its jaws around thesquirming parcel of cloth and lifted the package free of its

makeshift home. As he moved away from the now empty shell,its sensors, detecting the absence of life, ignited the self-

destruct mechanism and melted the shuttle into a ball of metal

no bigger than a childs marble.


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The stones in the amulet placed upon the babys arm by itsmother, Ilanthia, had already begun their task: to protect the

child in their care. They flickered with an esoteric fire, burningtheir way into the wolfs mind, creating an unbreakable bond

between the animal and the child held in its deadly teeth. Much

as he wanted to carry it off into the dense woods, to share itwith his starving pack, a compulsion stronger than hunger

urged him towards the cottage at the edge of the forest.

The forester tossed the last of the logs onto the dyingembers in the hearth and squatting before the fire massaged his

cold fingers as it crackled back into life. Showers of glowing

sparks flew up the chimney. He stood and shrugged himselfinto his worn leather jerkin and, shivering in the sudden blast

of icy air as he opened the door, went out into the earlymorning darkness. Ill not be long, he called over his

shoulder to his wife. Heat some broth for when I return, Illneed it. As he was about to leave, he saw his wife refolding

the small garments shed made for the child theyd never had.

Settling his axe comfortably on his shoulder, he paused

before setting off down the moonlit path. The baying of thewolf was close by and Jakob wondered why the lone predator

would venture so near to its mortal enemy.The moon was blanketed by ponderous clouds, which left

the forest paths in deep and forbidding shadow. Holding thelantern aloft, Jakob took the axe from his shoulder and gripped

it tightly, no longer a woodcutting tool, but a defensive

weapon. He crept apprehensively along one of the widerpathways, peering from side to side into the trees, expecting a

snarling bundle of fury to hurtle out at any moment.Thankfully he did not have to penetrate too far into the gloomy

wood before he came across a fallen tree, dry enough to burn.

He raised the axe above his head and readying himself for thefirst cut, was startled by a sudden movement to his left. He

froze, breathing heavily and sweating with fear despite the

chill air. A shadow denser than those between the trees shiftedstealthily, moving on silent feet towards him. The lantern

guttered in a fitful breeze and the prancing flame sought outtwo gleaming amber eyes peering from the undergrowth. The


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wolfs eyes met Jakobsown, and in that instance he saw thewolf glaring up at him. In its mouth it carried a wriggling

parcel of cloth, which it gently placed on the ground severalfeet from where Jakob stood.

Be off, Jakob yelled. His voice quivered in fright as he

lunged at the wolf, feigning bravery he did not feel this early inthe day.

Instead of bolting back into the trees, out of reach of the

axe, the wolf stood his ground and kept a wary eye on theupheld weapon and the man holding it. Jakob had killed many

wolves in his time, but always with a bow and arrow from a

distance or by trap. He had heard of travellers being beset bywolves and, as a pack, they could be a formidable foe. But a

lone animal did not attack man unless it was starving or itsoffspring were threatened. This wolf was much larger than

those he had previously encountered. Its coat of shaggy greyfur, dappled with black, gleamed with glossy good health over

a taut and well-developed body. It was a young beast, and

looked well nourished, and would not be an easy kill for the

woodsman in a hand to paw fight.Jakob had two choices: he could stand his ground and

attempt to maim or kill the wolf with his axe, or he could run.If he chose flight, the wolf would bring him down before he

had gone fifty yards. For several heartbeats it was a standoff.In the stillness of the dark leafy area, neither man nor beast

moved. Transfixed, Jakob gripped his axe ready for the attack.

Beads of panic-induced sweat popped out on his brow andsweat trickled down his sides from his armpits. But instead of

hurtling towards him, the wolf gave one final glare in hisdirection, turned and disappeared into the dense undergrowth.

The cry that broke the spell emanated from where the wolf

had stood. Holding his lantern high to banish the shadows,Jakob inched cautiously forward toward the squirming bundle.

Screwing up his face as the babys displeasure assaulted his

ears he knelt down to investigate further. The wolfs salivacoated his fingers as he unfolded the silk shawl from around

the squawking child.


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All thoughts of the firewood hed come to collect wereforgotten. He gathered up the baby and cradling it tenderly

inside his warm coat, made his way home. Bursting throughthe door, scaring his wife half to death as it bounced with a

crash against the wall, he called to her.

Woman, look what I have found in the woods, he heldthe now silent child out to her.

Taliena Hunter could hardly believe her eyes. Peering up

at her out of a swathe of material was a little face. Oh mygoodness, its a child, she murmured, wonderingly, what a

beautiful baby. Who on earth would abandon such a little thing

in the forest?I dont think it was abandoned, said Jakob. An

enormous wolf had carried it off and was either taking it backto share with his pack, or was about to enjoy a lone supper

right there and then. It was lucky I searched for wood where Idid and managed to scare him off. We will have to find the

childs home, the parents must be frantic.

First things first, husband, said Taliena, as the baby

sucked greedily on her finger. See, the little mite is starving;fetch me a jug of fresh goats milk.

Once the babys appetite was satisfied, and she waswrapped in fresh linens, Taliena laid the infant in the middle of

their bed.As soon as its light, I will walk to town and ask if a baby

is missing. Did you see the bracelet on her arm? Just one of

those stones must be worth a kings ransom she obviouslycomes from a well-to-do family. Shes not from our village.

What if no-one claims her, Jakob? Taliena asked. Doyou think we could raise her as our own?

It certainly seems like a miracle, that after all these

childless years, we find one on our doorstep. Jakob leanedforward to kiss his wifes eager face, fussing her long copper

curls. But before you start making plans; lets see what

happens when I make enquiries about her.The difference in his wife was remarkable. She was

approaching her thirty-first year, and still bore the slim figureshe had when theyd married. Theyd been married for ten


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summers but no children had come along to make their livescomplete. For him it was bearable, and at thirty-five he felt as

though he was getting a bit old, but would have liked a son tocarry on the Hunter line. He was aware that his wife yearned

for motherhood. Every time a neighbour showed off their

newly born child, Taliena would smile and coo over it anddeclare it the most beautiful baby shed ever seen. But that

night he would hear her trying to muffle her tears so as not to

wake him, and in the morning her pillow would be damp, hereyes red and swollen with despair.

Their cottage was of simple design; log and stone build

with a thatched roof. The inside consisted of a main livingroom where they ate and rested, and where the food was

cooked over the fire in the grate. At the rear a bedroom andscullery cum washroom. It was situated at the edge of the

village, and it was there that Jakob commenced his search forthe foundlings parents. There was no panic amongst the

people he met, nothing to suggest a baby being stolen, so he

never actually asked if a child had gone missing, just hinted

that there was unrest in the forest last evening. He knew beforehed set out that none of his neighbours could afford the jewels

adorning the babys arm. The nearest town was five leaguesaway, but it was a journey he had to make. He enquired

discreetly whether any wolf attacks had been reported, or if thealarm had been raised for a missing child, possibly the

offspring of a nobleman or a rich merchant. Wherever he went,

in the shops, taverns, the street markets and even at the castlegates, the answer was always the same: no lost or stolen

babies.The whole community always celebrated the birth of a

child to a noble family, as on these happy occasions, largesse

was handed to their subjects. But he found there had been nosuch rejoicing for over a year. After four days of exhaustive

questioning, Jakob decided to return home arriving back at his

cottage with mixed feelings.Before he had even stepped across the sill, Taliena was at

his side. She was afraid to meet his eyes in case she read anunwanted answer there. Oh husband, look how the child has


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taken to me, she said, holding the baby up to her shoulder. Ifshe is to be ours, we will have to name her. I thought Nemeila

sounds nice. What do you think?Mmmm, yes, I like it. For the moment we can keep her,

but if someone comes to claim her, you will have to give her

up.She nodded, knowing she had no choice but to agree. Her

heart thrummed with joy; she had a child of her own to raise

after all these barren years. She would have to take each newday as it arrived, hoping that it would not be the day to bring

her new daughters real parents knocking at her door.

Jakob wrapped his strong arms around his wife, almostcrushing the cooing baby between them. He felt that at last

their happiness was complete as her little feet kicked againsthis chest.

It would seem we should be grateful to that wolf, Jakobsmiled, breathing in the scent of his wifes freshly washed hair.

I know its irrational, but its almost as though it was waiting

for me to go and chop that log.

To Taliena and Jakobs abiding relief and delight, no oneclaimed the foundling. Living at the edge of the village,

Taliena rarely went into the village itself so that when askedabout the baby she lied and said it had been born whilst

visiting friends in a neighbouring village, and she had keptquiet about the pregnancy in fear of losing the child.

From the time that Nemeila was able to crawl, she found

that she would wish for one of her toys or dolls and it wouldmagically float over to her. She used to laugh and shout with

joy at sending the dish her mother was using whilst cookingacross the work surface so that when her mother reached out

for it, it was no longer where she thought it was. At first

Taliena didnt understand how it had happened, but then, fromthe corner of her eye she saw the bowl containing the pastry

mix she had just made, slowly moving away from her. Horror

stricken she turned to look at her daughter, who giggled andthrew her hands up in the air, Fooled you, Mamma, she said

happily.


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Taliena was going to scold her, but then saw how happythe girl was, so she bent down, picked her up and gave her a

cuddle. To Nemeila, pointing towards an object and wishingfor it to come to her, was no different to asking for something

or going to fetch it. She thought everyone could do such

things. Not far from their cottage was an orchard consisting ofno more than a dozen trees. Nemeila wandered amongst the

trees looking at the juicy red apples; she sat down under a

branch laden with the delicious fruit and held her left armabove her head, then cupping her hand, wished for the biggest

and juiciest looking apple to fall into her hand. At the height of

her thoughts she heard her mother call.Nemeila, where are you?

As her mother appeared between the trees a dozen or moreapples fell, bouncing on the ground and off her head. She held

her hands up for protection, but one of the apples hit her noseand she screamed out in pain. Looking at the offending piece

of fruit, she moved her arm as if striking it and the apple flew

away from her, smashing to pulp against the trunk of a nearby

tree.For a moment Taliena stood motionless, aware now of

what her daughter was able to do. What were you doing,Nemeila? she asked.

I wanted an apple, she said, guiltily, but you made mejump when you called out. I lost control and too many fell off

the tree.

This wasnt the first time that Taliena had seen herdaughter perform tricks. There was another pastime enjoyed by

her little girl that brought fear to her heart. She would watchher sit cross-legged on the grass outside the cottage door,

gather a few small pebbles in her hand, and, completely

absorbed in her own world, would gleefully watch them floatand spiral in the air, dipping and twirling in front of her face.

For the first time in her life, Taliena was afraid of the

consequences of her actions.Nemeila, her mother scolded gently, you must not do

that. If anyone sees you, youll be accused of witchcraft. If theSheriff gets to hear of it, you might be thrown into prison. And


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worse, they burn witches at the stake in some parts of thisland. She saw the shocked expression on her daughters face

and was sorry if shed frightened her, but she had to make herunderstand that these magic tricks of hers must remain a

closely guarded secret within the family.

Nemeila now realised that she was different from the otherchildren in the village, and heeded her mothers words. But

making stones dance was not the only ability she possessed. If

she concentrated hard enough, shutting out her motherssinging as she hung out the washing in the garden, she could

send crockery from the dresser to the table and set the cutlery

for their meal without moving from where she sat. Havingbeen told that the pebble trick might get her burned at the

stake, not that she really believed it, she was very careful topractise her skills with the flying plates when she was alone

and in no danger of being discovered by her anxious mother.By and large, most of the things Nemeila did caused no

harm, but occasionally they did backfire and she would get

soaked as the water from the well flew upward and, missing

the bucket she was holding, fell over her. To save face,Nemeila told her mother she had tripped and the water had

splashed from the bucket and made her wet. Thatll teach youto be more careful, Taliena said, smiling, knowing full well

what had really happened. But Taliena was becoming moreand more concerned about these secret tricks and thought she

would tell her husband.

Jakob, she said, one evening when Nemeila had gone tobed, I am worried about our daughter. When she was really

small, crawling on the floor, playing, I would often find a dishI was using moved from the place where I knew I had put it.

Then I saw Nemi moving her hands through the air and it was

her moving the dish. She giggled when I caught her out andsaid, Fooled you, Mamma. I was going to scold her but she

looked so happy, I didnt have the heart.

Jakob frowned and pulled a face, She is only a child, andmaybe she will grow out of it as she gets older.

I dont think so, Taliena said, drying her hands on apiece of cloth. Then as she placed the dishes into a cupboard


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she turned to face her husband. She can also magic waterfrom the well; I have seen her do it. She sits sometimes and

makes small pebbles fly round in circles, creating patterns inthe air. Two days ago she was in the orchard, I went to find her

and when I called to her the apple she was trying to magic

from the tree fell along with dozens more. The one that hit heron the nose was smashed against a tree by the wave of her arm.

Im frightened, Jakob. What would happen if we made her

unhappy, would she just wave us aside?She is just a girl, Jakob said, placing an arm round

Talienas shoulders. She knows what is right from wrong.

You have taught her these things and I know, in my heart, shewould never harm either of us. She is a special girl and has

been from the day I found her guarded by a wolf. She has apurpose here and we will help guide her in her growing up.

Your influence will make her into a kind and loving womanwho one day will, I am sure, give us grandchildren to play

games with and look after.

Taliena wiped the tear from her eye and stretched up to

kiss her husband, and tried to forget about the magical side toher daughters nature.

Jakob and Taliena had managed to keep their daughtersabilities secret for nine years, but an incident in the next

village nearly exposed Nemeila. Jakob arrived home in ahurry, sought out his pickaxe and leather gloves and told

Taliena and Nemeila that he and some of the other men were

going to the next village to help try save a young boy trappedin a cave-in. Jakob led the twenty men and joined the villagers

surrounding the derrick that had been mounted over the hole inthe ground. What happened? Jakob asked.

There is a mine shaft down below, said one of the men,

and I suppose the ground here was too weak. One of the kidsfell down a fissure that appeared and he is trapped down that

hole.

How deep is it? asked one of the men who had arrivedwith Jakob.

Were not sure. But if you listen closely, you can hear theboy crying.


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Jakob looked into the darkness of the crack in the groundand saw that it was far too small for a man to crawl down.

Cant we make the hole bigger? he asked.We tried that, but the sides keep crumbling. Itll bury the

boy before we could ever reach him.

We are going to try and dig a new hole then dighorizontally to the shaft and hopefully break into it and get him

out that way, said one of the village miners.

Two days later and working day and night, they had onlymanaged to dig ten feet into the hard rock-filled ground.

Everyone was tired, irritable, and short-tempered that despite

all the effort put into the dig, they had not reached the boy.Cant hear no noise from down there, said one of the

men. I reckon the poor little mite must be dead. No food orwater for nearly three days now, and he must have been

injured in the fall. Send for the Parson to say a prayer for hissoul.

The boys mother screamed and burst into tears. You

cant abandon him, not leave him there. Please get him out so

we can at least give him a decent funeral.The womans husband dropped the pickaxe he was holding

and went to his wife. Taking her gently into his arms he toldher that they would not give up until he had been rescued.

Nemeila sat quietly at the table, absentmindedly stirring the

bowl of porridge before her. Hes still alive, she muttered.

Whos still alive?The boy father went to try and save.

How would you know? asked Taliena.I just do, Nemeila said, looking up at her mother. I

think I might be able to save him.

Taliena suddenly went cold. Should her daughter be foundto have the powers of witchcraft, she might be taken and burnt.

There had always been legends of witch-hunts, ever since she

was a girl, although she had never actually heard of a burning.I know you can make things move just by thinking about it,

Taliena said, but if you show those people what you can do, I


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will lose you as a daughter and you might be hounded to yourdeath.

He will die, long before they reach him. Trust meMamma, they wont find out.

Taliena had tears in her eyes as she looked at Nemeila.

Come on, well ask old Ma Indigo if we can borrow her horseand buggy, Im sure she wont mind.

When they arrived at the campsite they saw only panic and

frustration. The men were busy digging at the hard ground, butprogress was painfully slow. Jakob went over to the buggy

wondering why they had come.

I can help, father, Nemeila said, climbing down, andstretching.

No you cant. Just what do you think you can do thatsnot already being done?

Lower me down on a rope. If I can reach him, Ill bringhim back.

I dont think so. That hole is too small for you to climb

down, the boy is already dead; best we let his parents bury him

in peace.Nemeila closed her eyes, for as long as she could

remember she had always been able to feel things in otherpeople, to almost second-guess what was about to happen

before it actually did. The boy is still alive, she said.A woman standing close by heard her, turning she called

out to the men digging, This girl says the boy is still alive.

Everyone turned to stare at Nemeila and Taliena. How doyou know? Youve only just arrived here. Go home before you

cause more suffering to the boys parents. He made to grabNemeila but Jakob took his wrist in an iron-like grip. You

touch her, and Ill break both your arms.

Nemeila went to the derrick and looked down the narrowopening in the ground. I can get down there, she said, tie

the rope around me and lower me down on that winch.

Jakob turned his daughter to face him. You are not goingdown that hole, thats final.


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Im the only one small enough to fit, she said,confidently. Besides, what can happen, other than me

succeeding? Her smile was like a beam of sunlight.Everybodys heart melted, and they all gathered around her

telling her what to do.

The hole was too narrow for Nemeila to sit in a beltedcradle, so they tied a rope around her chest and under her arms,

and then attached another line for her to tie around the boy,

should she reach him. One of the men showed her how to tie asecure knot, and told her to tug hard on the line when she was

ready for them to lift them out. The hole was tight, and at first

she didnt think she would manage to squeeze through. After abit of twisting and turning she disappeared from sight, and the

rope holding her was let out slowly. It was as dark as coal onceher head had passed the fissure opening, and jagged pieces of

rock clawed at her legs and arms as the men above continuedto lower her. She closed her eyes, clenched her left hand into a

fist and willed there to be light. For a moment nothing

happened, and then from under the gold amulet on her arm, a

glow of light appeared. It was just a dull light so that thepeople above would not see it. When Nemeila opened her eyes

she was able to see down to the bottom of the shaft. She sawthe boy curled into a ball, one of his arms all twisted as if it

had been broken in the fall. The side of his face was covered inblood, but all that didnt matter, she could feel his heart beat

and knew he was still alive, albeit barely. He had landed on a

small ledge barely big enough for him to rest upon. Lookingpast the ledge the shaft went down beyond sight, she

shuddered at the thought of him falling further. There was verylittle space to place her foot but she managed to put one toe of

her boot on the edge of the ledge and then supported herself by

leaning against the shaft wall, with her other leg behind herholding her upright. Bending down she looped the rope around

the boys chest and under his arms, tied the knot, as she had

been shown: left over right, and under; then right over left andunder, pulling the loops of rope tightly together. When she was

sure the knot was secure, she tugged hard on the rope. Therope went taut and slowly the boys body began to rise from


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the ledge. The shaft was too narrow for them to be pulled uptogether, so when he was clear of her head, she tugged on the

rope holding her. As the boy neared the surface, she willed thelight from the amulet to go out, and she found herself in total

darkness again. Finally she was breathing fresh air, and the

dark clouds above threatening rain looked very welcoming.Jakob took her into his arms and held her so tightly she

thought he would crush the life from her.

Nemi, Im so proud of you, he said, his eyes filling withtears.

Taliena was almost pushed to one side as the villagers

crowded around Jakob and Nemeila. Lets go home, shesaid, placing her hand on Jakobs arm.

Jakob helped both his wife and daughter onto the buggy,then climbed aboard and took up the reins.

I dont know how to thank you, said the boys father,should you or your family ever need a favour, or help of any

kind, Ill be there for you.

Ill keep that in mind, Jakob said, nodding at the man

and smiling. With a flick of the reins and a Gee-up, the horsebegan to pull the buggy away from the crowd.

As Jakob went from sight there was a rumble under theirfeet. As they turned towards the derrick they saw it disappear

from view, then the fissure closed up tight.

Nemeila found that influencing events just by concentrating

her thoughts, was fun, and although she was careful when shepractised this gift, one of the girls she played with saw her

move her hand so that the flight of an arrow towards a targetaimed at by a boy, missed the bulls-eye altogether.

Howd you do that? the girl asked. That boy never

misses his mark.Nemeila turned suddenly, staring at her friend, guilt

making her blush. I didnt do anything, she said, I was just

waving a fly away from my face.Well, that was his third and final arrow in the game

theyre playing and his first two were dead centre of the bull.Show me how you did it, or Ill tell.


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I didnt do anything, Nemeila said, feeling the lie chokeher. Besides, he always wins, he probably lost his

concentration. Itll do him good to lose once in a while;anyway, I want Josh to win.

I thought you were my friend, said the girl, and friends

are supposed to share things with each other. I saw you, as hefired, you waved your hand and the arrow flew straight past

the tree.

Nemeila suddenly felt the urge to tell someone about hersecret, and wondered if she could trust her friend. I dont

know how I did it. But you must promise, if I tell you a secret,

you wont tell anyone else.OK, said the girl, linking her arm with Nemeila, and

grinning like a Cheshire cat.I had to think really hard to make the arrow miss the tree.

If I put all my thoughts to move something, it sometimeshappens, like then, as he let fly the arrow. It doesnt always

work, and quite a few times, when Ive tried to pick an apple

from a tree the whole branch has crashed down.

So youre a witch, said the girl. Its said that onlywitches can do magic.

No Im not, Nemeila said, indignantly. Thinking that ifshe could turn this so-called friend into a toad, her secret

would still be safe. Carla, areyou going to tell on me?Nah! I dont like him much neither. If I could just wave

my hand and make him do things, Id make him trip up and

fall in that muddy puddle along the path.They both laughed, then, arm in arm, they wandered into

the clearing to watch the other boys take aim at their targets.Not long after this incident, Nemeilas village was given

warning, about a large rogue bear terrorising neighbouring

villages. It had already killed three adults and a child. Thevillage elders were worried that it could easily reach their

homes. The last place it had been seen was only a league and a

half away; all the children had been warned not to stray fromhome until it had been captured or killed. Jakob was away

from home, doing what he did to earn a living, trappinganimals for their pelts. Nemeilas mother had taken a job


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cleaning one of the well-to-do houses on the far side of thevillage. Nemeila was bored, there were no chores to do,

because being alone, and not having her mother there to scoldher, she had put her gift to good use. A dish mop was cleaning

the dishes in the sink magically. The broom was dancing round

the room brushing the dust and dirt into a heap ready for thedustpan to collect. A duster was feeling its way across the

work surfaces and around the ornaments with far more care

and enthusiasm than she herself might have managed, whenthere was a knock on the door. Panic suddenly kicked in; what

if whoever was there saw the things moving on their own

accord, it would be the prison for sure, maybe even the stake.She turned towards the broom and raising her hand, said,

Stop! Instantly the broom fell to the floor, in doing so itknocked down one of her mothers prized vases. The

resounding crash made Nemeila take a deep breath and grit herteeth. The duster also stopped its work and dragged a framed

painting from the wall. The frame broke apart as it hit the

floor. In absolute horror she looked at the mess then turned and

opened the door.Hi, Nemi, what was all that breaking noise? asked her

friend. It sounded as though you were having a real smashingtime.

Nemeila grimaced, turned her head to look back at themess scattered across the room. If Id known it was you,

Carla, I wouldnt have worried. When you knocked I was

watching the broom and the duster dancing round the room,cleaning. But my mother said if the Sheriff ever found out

about my gift, I would be classed as a witch and thrown intoprison; or worse, she said they burn witches at the stake.

Come on, Ill help you clear up the mess, Carla said, I

was hoping we might take a hike along the ridge, there is anold deserted barn up there; a great place to play games. What

dya reckon?

I reckon my mum will kill me when she gets home,Nemeila said, as she tried to straighten the picture frame. That

broken vase was one of her favourites. She managed toalmost straighten the wooden frame, but the joints were none


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too secure. The picture was only a little bit crooked when shehung it back on the wall; she hoped her mother wouldnt spot

it. The vase, though, was irreparable, no amount of magic, atleast the amount that she knew, could put it back together

again. She swept the broken pieces into a heap in the corner

ready to tell her mother what had happened. Although she didthink it might be better to say she knocked it down as she

passed, knowing how her mother hated it when she practised

her gift.I know, lets call on some of the other kids, Carla said,

grabbing Nemeilas arm, we could play hide and seek.

OK, sounds like fun, Nemeila said, at least it will takemy mind off these broken things, until my mum gets home.

They rounded up another three girls and four boys, andthen laughing and joking, and chasing each other about, they

made their way along the ridge towards the deserted farm withall its derelict outbuildings. The day wore on, and as the sun

started to go down, they all decided to make their way home.

With the buildings a little way behind them they started to

make their way towards a small stand of trees; as they gotcloser a huge brown bear ambled out into the open. Everyone

screamed and scattered. Carla stood wide-eyed with fear.Nemeila watched in horror as the bear stared directly at her

and began loping towards them. Quick, she said, grabbingCarlas arm and pulling her back towards the barn. She

glanced behind and to her horror saw the bear chasing after

them; it would only be a matter of moments before it caughtthem. Almost falling inside the barn, they quickly slammed the

doors shut. But the wood was old, and the bar to hold themclosed would not be strong enough to withstand the force of at

least eight hundred pounds of solid muscle if the bear threw

itself against them. Carla was shaking with fright, and Nemeilacouldnt think of a worse time than now. The two girls pressed

themselves against the rear wall of the building as the bear

tested the strength of the doors stopping him getting at thefresh meat Nemeila and Carla. Once inside, both knew the

bear would kill them. Nemeila looked around her, then she sawa large storage bin with a lift-up lid, used to keep corn or oats


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in. Give me a hand to push this against the door, she said,pulling Carlas arm. The two girls tried as hard as they could to

move the bin, but it was too heavy. The bear slammed againstthe door and they saw the stay-bar bend to its limit. Both girls

knew if the bear hit the doors as hard the next time, it would

break.Nemeila looked at her friend, then round at the bin,

holding her arms out before her she willed the bin to move. At

first nothing happened, and again the doors creaked and partlysplintered as the bear threw its weight against them.

Help me, Carla, hold onto my arm, said Nemi. Carla

screamed and held on to Nemeila for comfort and strength.Nemeila closed her eyes and with every ounce of her will,

called upon the amulet and her powers to help her. A white fogcrept from under the gold band on her arm, gathering in size as

it drifted towards the large storage bin. Nemeila opened hereyes and willed the box to slide across the floor to cover the

doorway. As though a superhuman being was behind it, the

box slid with ease across the floor of the barn, coming to rest

across the two doors just as the stay-bar finally snapped.Nemeila and Carla stood wide-eyed as the clawed paw of the

bear broke away the rotting timber, but the bin held firm.Outside they heard the shouts of their friends and the

deeper, gruff voices of the men from their village. Then for amoment all was quiet; they saw the claws withdraw from the

door and as the bear let out a loud growl several arrows found

their mark. Carlas father was amongst the first of the adults topeer through the hole in the woodwork, but was unable to push

open the doors. How did you both get in there? he asked.Nemeila was suddenly afraid, more afraid of her secret

being found out than of the bear theyd just faced.

We climbed in through a window, said Carla, it waslucky that box had been put where it was or the bear would

have got us. She linked her arm through Nemeilas and

smiled. I wont tell. If you hadnt done that, and sheindicated towards the grain bin, we would be dead.

All the kids were scolded by their parents, but none ofthem were punished for straying away from their homes to


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play, everyone was just happy that the threat from the bear hadended without anyone being hurt.

Over the months as Nemeila grew older, Taliena tried toteach her daughter all she knew about surviving on a small

budget: how to cook, and how to sew to make their few clothes

last longer, which plants were edible and which containeddeadly poisons.

Jakob attempted to show her how to set traps for rabbits

and birds, to provide meat for their table, but this shesteadfastly refused to do. In fact, supposedly unbeknown to

him, she would track him through the undergrowth, treading

silently among the fallen leaves and keeping to the shadows,whenever he went on a trapping expedition. She would disable

the snares as soon as he was out of sight and earshot, and smilesecretly to herself when he remarked at the dinner table how

the rabbits had suddenly become extremely clever, managingto spring the traps without getting caught. But he never let

Nemeila see the knowing winks he directed at Taliena over his

daughters head. If it meant they had to spend precious hard-

earned coins to buy meat at the market these days, it was worthit to have such a gentle and soft-hearted child.

However, even at nine years old, she understood that herfather had to make a living, and when she was unable to save

the animals from his traps, she mourned their broken bodieslying on the kitchen floor. But then she dutifully swallowed

her sadness to assist Jakob in preparing the pelts for trading,

learning the art of curing the skins, which then enabled him tospend more time at home with his family.

Although their cottage lay at the far end of their village,Nemeila often ran to join the other children once her chores

were finished for the day. Shrieking at the sudden heart-

stopping chill, they would plunge into the nearby river for aswim. They would scrape elbows and knees as they swarmed

up trees, their sun-bronzed skins giving them the appearance of

chattering monkeys. Shouting groups of seekers would crasharound in the bushes, searching for their hidden comrades, who

were trying to stifle their nervous giggles as they attempted toevade discovery.


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Will you teach me how to use a bow and arrow? Nemiasked her father, one morning over breakfast.

When I come home tonight, Ill give you your firstlesson, he said. I have a simple bow you can use, with the

string tension about right for you.

Nemi could hardly wait for late afternoon to arrive, andwhen her father handed her the bow she was thrilled.

Right, first of all, relax your shoulders. Take the bow in

your left hand so that the shaft of the bow sits between yourthumb and forefinger. Now face me and then turn your head

sideways to face the target. Now raise your bow arm in line

with the target.She did as she was told so that the bow was in line with

her sight.Now using the first three fingers of your right hand hold

the string with the crease of the first joints of your fingers.When you are ready draw the string back until your forefinger

is tight against your chin. Do not release the string.

Jakob noted her stance. With her bow hand square to the

body of the bow, he bent her elbow outwards slightly.If thestring catches your arm you will have a bruise that

will be very painful, he said. Always make sure you have aslight bend at the elbow. Any movement to aim, do with your

body, not your head. Bend at the waist to get the target linedup.

Nemi relaxed the tension on the bow string and let the bow

down to her side. It is a lot harder than I imagined, she said.How did I do?

OK for a start. Lets try with an arrow nocked.She held the bow while he placed an arrow in position,

then when she was ready she stood looking at her father with

her body sideways on to the target. Raising the bow, she drewback the string until her forefinger rested tight against her chin.

Close your left eye, and look at the target along the length

of the arrow using your right eye only. When you have thebulls-eye in sight, release the arrow.

She did but when she released the arrow it was way offcentre. It struck the black outer ring to the right.


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Dont worry where the arrow landed, try a second shot,said her father. Her second and third shot all landed close to

the first. Nice grouping, but now you need to come over toyour left a bit so that you hit the centre.

Nemi practised for over an hour, but towards the end her

arrows were missing the target at times.You must keep your draw hand close to your chin. Your

hand drifted away from your face which is why you missed the

target. I think we will stop for now, I will teach you againtomorrow.

By the time she had finished her evening meal the muscle

in her right arm really ached and every time she moved herarm it pained her. The muscle in her left arm was sore, but not

as painful.Thats to be expected, Jakob said, smiling. You are

using muscles that you have not used before and it will taketime before you can draw the bow without feeling any pain.

With her fathers patience and guidance, she learned how

to draw a bow and shoot an arrow with astonishing accuracy

that left her friends open-mouthed with amazement and envy.Whatever competitive games they decided to play, Nemeilas

friends always fought over her, knowing that with her on theirteam, the victory was undoubtedly theirs. Whenever she

returned home dripping wet or smeared with mud from head totoe, the result of play or a fight when disagreements reared up

amongst the children, Taliena would tut and fuss and scold at

the state of her clothes and the scratches and bruises marringher tender young skin. But her anxiety and anger never lasted

long once her beloved girl was safe home again. She was anatural leader and it made Taliena very proud of her.

Nemeila was especially fond of one of her playmates; a

dark-haired boy called Josh. His laughing face was covered insun-baked freckles, and he was forever backhanding the thick

unruly mop of curls from his eyes as he chased the shrieking

girls around the fields. He was fourteen summers in age,although tall enough for a boy much older, and well-muscled

from helping his father on their land. Unfortunately forNemeila, Josh seemed far more interested in one of the other


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girls in their group. He would play happily enough withNemeila and welcome her into all their games, but as soon as

Medow appeared, it was as though Nemeila ceased to exist.Josh and Medow would stroll hand in hand along the river

bank, and when the games were over as twilight fell, he would

place a tanned arm around Medows shoulder and she wouldlean against him, tired after the days exhausting work and

play, as they wandered home together, deep in conversation.

Nemeila often choked back scalding tears, the painfullump in her throat leaving her unable to join in with her

companions jokes and laughter as she trailed behind the pair,

separated from the rest of the gang by their closeness to eachother. Nemeila had never known what it was like to dislike

someone, so she did not understand that the black cloud ofunhappiness and loathing she felt whenever Medow appeared

was pure jealousy. The feeling ate her like acid, and she cameto dread the sight of the slender red-haired girl skipping along

the path to join them.

Hey, whats up with you? asked Taliena, when Nemeila

returned home with a face as long as the path outside her door.Nothing, Nemeila said, I dont want to talk about it.

She shrugged past her mother and went to the room her fatherhad added to the back of the house after hed found her. She

sat heavily onto her bed and, raising her arms in the air,twisted them above her head. Everything but the bed suddenly

rose into the air and began spinning round the room, making it

look like a mini tornado had struck the room.Opening the door, Taliena looked at her daughter, and

knew, without being told what was wrong. Come here andgive me a cuddle, she said, holding out her arms towards her

daughter.

As Nemeila turned to face her mother, all the things in theair fell to the floor with a crash.

Once in her mothers arms, the tears, followed by heart-

rending sobs, brought a lump to Talienas throat. I know whatyou are going through, Taliena said, but for now Medow

holds his feelings. You wouldnt want to hurt either of them,would you?

Documents

The Wolf and the Sorceress - The King's Magician