evilmaniclaugh

The Last Winter


Part Ten

A deep spell of gloom followed the events of Mabon, the pall interspersed by a series of vicious storms, gusts of wind tearing down trees and rattling the panes of the cottages as if they were doing their best to break in and take possession of everything.

Even Dinas Hollow was not saved from damage; trees were uprooted and the lean-to almost blown clean away ending up a pile of splintered wood. Luckily most of the crops were safe in the old stone store houses and as William collected the final sacks of produce and laid them down for the winter, he wondered if Brockhaven would be able to weather this onslaught.

Wandering home, he passed through the Dead Wood and for the first time ever had no sense of the essence that was usually so potent there. The wooden plinth on which he and Liam had kissed was covered with broken branches and a fall of autumn leaves and it was as if the life of the place had vanished.

Liam Pendray was never far from his thoughts. The young man’s headstrong and determined spirit was the only thing that kept Will going on those darkest of days when rain beat angrily against windows and the river rose, full yet somnolent, threatening to overrun their tiny house with its lifeless waters.

“The Old Ones are angry with us,” he said as he squatted down next to Big Oz’s grave and laid a twig of elder on the soft earth as a tribute. The man had loved to swill down elderberry wine, knocking the rich fruity drink back as if it were water. “I wish you were here to tell us how to make amends. You would know.”

“Lady Morganne knows better than I,” echoed Simeon’s voice.

It came from inside--it must have done--but it was loud enough and real enough to make Will turn his head and peer tentatively around the wooded graveyard. There was never a sense that spirits lurked here, all of them eager to move on to the Summerlands, but this was no ordinary year and Will refused to reject anything out of hand.

“But she will not talk to me,” he whispered in answer. Deep down he still believed that Kerenza blamed his affair with Liam for bringing this about.

Darkening eddies of cloud swirled overhead and as Will felt the first few drops of rainwater beating against his skin he stood, shivering a little and drawing his jacket around him, watching yet another storm roll in across the evening sky. Shards of lightning attacked the ground and as the last rays of daylight were sucked away Will trudged towards the cottage. As he approached the arch of roses a quiet call from high up on the path startled him.

“William, is that you?” came a girl’s voice.

“Aye.” He peered myopically into the darkness, but was unable to see who was there hiding amongst the trees.

“It’s me... Willow. Willow Rose,” the girl said sounding small and frightened and Will’s heart went out to her.

“Stay where you are,” he replied. “Let me come and get you. The paths are slippery with mud at the moment and it’s not safe.”

Peering harder he made out the shape of a figure in the trees and picked his way carefully towards her. Just for a second he too became frightened, wondering if this was another of those Towny traps, however he soon realised that that idea was ridiculous. The girl had never been anything but sweet to him and everyone else she came in contact with.

“I didn’t know where else to come,” she gasped and instinctively he wrapped his arms around her cold body, the wet woolen cardigan scratching his skin.

“You’re safe here,” he murmured, his lips against her forehead. What had the townsfolk done to this girl? “Come back to the cottage and warm yourself by the fire.”

Together they made their way down the precarious slope, Will keeping a tight hold of Willow’s arm and guiding her along the path the way he’d once done for Liam. Holding her by the hand he opened the cottage door and led her inside.

His mother was bent over the table, tiny plaits of hair falling over her face as she concentrated on crafting beautiful scripted labels for jars of apple and blackberry jelly.

“Blessed be, Willow Rose,” she said looking up, her eyes sparkling with such warmth and lack of surprise it was almost as if she had been expecting the girl to arrive. “You are welcome.”

Willow stood apprehensively on the door mat, arms clutched about herself, bracken red hair falling in long wet strings about her face. “I didn’t know where else to come,” she said hopelessly.

“And you have done right.” Kerenza approached he girl and unwrapped the soaking wet cardigan from her body, hanging it over the wheel-back of a rickety dining chair. “William. Go and get towels and a quilt from the chest in my room.”

As he returned with the items Will looked at the girl properly and for the first time took in her terrified eyes and swollen belly.

“I didn’t know w-where else to come,” she stammered once more, leaning in close as Kerenza toweled her dry and wrapped the quilt around her shoulders.

“T’will not be long before those babies are here.” Kerenza led Willow over to a chair by the fire. “We must be ready.”

Willow looked at Kerenza her face a picture of absolute confusion. “It can’t be so. There must be eight months to go yet.”

Kerenza laughed. “As I’m sure you know, Daniel Osbourne is not like the men in your village. Old Ones have old ways and they will not fit in with your patterns. Before a month has passed you will be holding these babies in your arms.”

“Oh my!” Willow sat bolt upright in the chair, her palms resting on the rise of her belly. “I can’t be a mother. I’m not ready. How will I tell my parents?”

“To the first part all I can say is that you feel the way every woman in the world feels when she feels life growing inside her. As far as the last part goes I don’t know, love. All I can say is that if I had the news I was to have grandbabies in the family then I would be nothing but happy.”

Willow looked gloomy. “I don’t think my mother will think the same as you, Mrs Morganne.”

“Hush now and stop worrying about unnecessary things,” insisted Kerenza as she handed Willow a mug of peppermint tea. “This will help with the nausea.”

William watched from the corner of the room, wishing that he could be the person he was supposed to be -- girl child, bearer of other girls to keep the old ways from dying.

Kerenza looked up at him that merry warmth stronger than ever in her eyes. “The path is mapped out, my Willem,” she said as if she had direct access to his thoughts. “We are who we are for a purpose, boy. You must soon learn to accept that or it will be our downfall.”

William stepped a little closer to the two women. Kerenza rested a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder soothing Willow who was caught in a trance, befuddled by the unexpected news. She seemed a little less distressed than she had been when she arrived and a slow smile appeared on Will’s face as he placed his hand on her distended stomach. Oz was going to be a father. If only he could find a way to let him know.

“How many babies?” he asked in wonder as he felt the quivering movement beneath his fingers.

“I can sense two, but there may be more.” Kerenza laughed again at the look on Willow’s face. “Do not fret, my girl. We’ll be here for you every step of the way. Even Will can take a turn at changing nappies.”

“No way!”

The two women laughed at Will’s horrified expression, but then amusement turned to sadness as Willow looked down, shamefaced. “I’m sorry for all the things we’ve ever said about you, Kerenza.”

“Willow Rose, as I keep drumming into my boy here, there is a purpose behind everything. Now stop worrying over the past and start thinking about what lies ahead. I can promise you that your future will be very busy indeed and you won’t have any spare minutes to waste on ‘if onlys.’”


~~~


As the days passed by the women prepared excitedly for the birth, digging out baby things from the row of storage cupboards in the eaves, sewing clothes and hemming squares of terrycloth for nappies. Will was less eager and couldn’t help but think that this was yet another link in the chain that was pushing Brockhaven towards destruction.

Now though, all that circumspection was shoved to the back of his mind as he was faced with a daunting yet thrilling task. October had been a wild month this turn of the wheel and as it went on the storms became more frequent and the weather turned unseasonably cold. As Will crossed the stepping stones over to the Towny side of the river he tried hard to keep his feet out of the icy black waters, but the Koeth was running so high that he couldn’t fail but get his trousers soaked well past the knees.

The Old Ones were silent despite the dark streaks he could see moving slowly through the deep water and Will wondered what he could do to appease them and bring back some harmony to the place.

Having successfully navigated the stones he leaned up against the bark of the Old Oak. “Tree,” he muttered, sounding far too much like Druantia for his own peace of mind. “I wish I could put everything right, but I can’t help loving him.”

Love was such a shallow word. It didn’t come close to the depth of feeling Will had for Liam Pendray. His heart ached constantly and at every opportunity he slid his erect cock inside his fist imagining it was Liam caressing him. Stiffening up already from just a fleeting image of his lover, Will ignored his urges and looked instead at the sealed envelope that was clutched in his palm.

Forebodingly, the moon slid away from sight behind another bulky pile of cloud and as the night sky blackened William prayed that he’d not get caught like he did the last time he was delivering messages. Kerenza had insisted that Willow inform her parents that she was safe, even if she didn’t reveal the reason for her disappearance and so a letter was written merely saying that she was well and happy and had decided to leave Brockhaven for a while. Will was not convinced this was the best course of action, but then he didn’t understand parental love and most likely never would.

As a chink of moon revealed itself fleetingly behind a break in the cloud, Will stared at the shaky writing on the envelope and wondered which would be the safest way to reach the Rose household. Choosing the path up the meadow towards Pendray Hall he walked through the long wet grass, slightly perturbed by the way the building loomed out at him -- a great black mass rising up from the rear of the orchards.

William had always suffered from claustrophobia on this side of the river but as this year progressed he could feel an ancient darkness bubbling up from the surface -- an old hatred, inky black and full of anger, younger than the magicke of his ancestors but just as powerful. As he made his way to the top of the slope he paused at the entrance to the orchard path and then carried on in the direction of the Hall, stopping at the boundaries of the finely manicured lawn and neat borders.

Desperate for a just a glimpse of Liam Will studied the outside of the Hall. Every light was out, the whole building was encased in darkness, and just as he was about to walk away he caught sight of an upstairs casement window opening. A shadowy figure slipped out onto the windowsill and then precariously leaned out and caught hold of a drainpipe.

Will watched, his heart in his mouth as he watched the figure slide down the painted metal work and leap off, narrowly missing most of the bushes in the process.

“Will!”

The voice was little more than a whisper and dangerous enough at that, yet William couldn’t prevent himself from stuffing Willow’s letter into his pocket and racing towards Liam.

They met in the centre of the lawn, just a few feet away from the grandiose entrance porch and wrapping his arms around Liam’s neck Will pulled him in for a kiss, slow and sweet and full of desperate need.

“Missed you so much,” he murmured.

“Can’t believe you’re here,” said Liam. “I couldn’t sleep. I can’t ever sleep nowadays.”

The soft kisses deepened into sensual exchanges of tongue and before they got carried away and ended up naked in full view of the Pendray family home, Will took Liam’s hand and tugged him toward the orchards.

“Here,” he said insistently stopping beneath the bare arms of a gnarled old apple tree. Hips canting with need, he shoved Liam up against the trunk, his fingers grabbing the hem of Liam’s tee-shirt and then skinning it up and over his body. Latching onto a smooth flat nipple, Will suckled at it as if he were a baby, moaning slightly as the tip of his tongue teased the flesh until it peaked in his mouth.

Fingers of both hands wandering downwards, he pushed the elastic waistband of Liam’s sweat pants down until the young man’s cock sprang free, slapping hard against his flat belly. Gripping the shaft with his right hand Will began to pull at it with firm strokes, fingers of his other hand caressing the boy’s taut sac.

“Steady,” murmured Liam, his lips a bare half inch away from Will’s. “Been thinking about you all night. Been hard and thinking about you.”

Hand working at a more leisurely pace now, Will pressed his mouth against Liam’s kissing him in a short frenzied burst of desperation. “Same for me always,” he whispered.

A fuck would hurt without something to ease the passage but Will didn’t care; his body was burning up with need, his insides aching to be with Liam just once more before all this came to an end.

Lost in thought, Will was only vaguely aware that he too was close to being naked. Shivering from the coldness of the air, he thrust into Liam’s fist, stroking Liam’s cock with his fingers as they made love with mouths and hands, slippery sounds of sex pervading the stillness of the night.

Muscles in his legs giving way Will fell to the ground, pulling Liam with him. The remainder of their clothing long gone, the boys tumbled into the pile of wet leaves and Will shivered at the feel of the orchard ground against his skin.

“I have you,” said Liam, kissing the breath away from Will and warming him with his body. “You’re safe.”

Safe was far removed from how Will felt. Making illicit love to Liam Pendray whilst caught in between the bonelike roots of these ancient trees was a huge risk, but the danger did nothing to dispel his need. Rolling onto his back, his cock rearing up proudly and urgently, Will lifted his knees. “I need you in me,” he said.

Liam reached for his sweat pants and from the pocket he produced the small tin of beeswax polish that they had used the first time they had sex. “I keep it with me,” he said sheepishly. “It reminds me of you.”

A talisman, thought Will as he was stretched wide open with waxy fingers.

“My father insists this is wrong,” Liam said as Will changed position until he was down on all fours. “He doesn’t understand. How can he know?”

But Will didn’t want to talk, certainly not about how wrong this was, he just wanted to lose himself within their sex. Arching his body he shoved insistently against Liam, gaining a measure of comfort from the sensation of that solid column of flesh pressing into the crack of his arse.

Inch by inch Liam eased his cock inside, words dwindling down to soft moans, and as the swollen glans, sticky slick with wax, rubbed against that secret place, Will’s anxiety disappeared and all that mattered was the fierce burn and the lightning flashes of pre-orgasm that clouded his judgment with a haze of happiness.

How could this be wrong, Will wondered as Liam muttered words of love and reached beneath him to stroke his erection to full hardness. It’s not as if they were hurting anyone. The beginnings of climax rippled as Liam upped the pace, grunting with pleasure as he pushed them both toward orgasm and the wash of warmth inside made every muscle in Will’s body clench up in delight. Raising himself up to a full kneel he curved back against Liam’s chest and cried out as Liam worked him off, his come spilling over the roots of the apple tree, bathing it in milky white semen.

It was the old way, a method of conjuring up fertility for the forthcoming wheel, but as Will rested in Liam’s arms he had a feeling that his blessing was not entirely welcome in this strange place.

“You have to go. You mustn’t be seen here in Brockhaven.” Liam kissed Will’s neck and then tugged at him until they were lying, wrapped up in each other, on the leaf strewn grass. “It’s not safe.”

“I think I know that.” Will smirked at the understatement, looking up in amusement at Liam’s serious expression. “I do live here, you know.”

“Things have got worse,” said Liam bleakly. “Brockhaven isn’t the place it used to be. It’s…” The sentence tapered out to silence.

“What’s the matter?” The fear that Will had seen on Willow’s face was there in equal if not greater amount in Liam. “Tell me,” he demanded.

“I don’t know where to start.” Liam shook his head, his misery obvious. “Chapel services are all about sin and wrongdoing. People are angry. The trust has gone. You must stay away from town at all costs.”

“I will… once I deliver this letter to Rose family.”

“The Roses?” Liam pulled on his sweat pants and for minute in the glimmer of moonlight Will saw something on Liam’s face that matched the mistrust he’d been talking about. “What do you know about Willow?”

Theirs had been a relationship founded on quarrelling, but Will wasn’t about to return to the old ways despite the fact that Liam was staring at him in a very accusatory manner.

“She came to the Hollow last week. She said she had nowhere else to go.” Will tucked his shirt into his trousers then sat down again to put on his shoes and socks. The orchard ground was icy cold and unwelcoming and Will was certain it hadn’t used to be like this -- at least not this early in the season, summer was barely over.

“But why?”

Will considered things carefully. He knew he could trust Liam--the boy’s heart was as honest and true as they came--but he did have a habit of shooting his mouth off and if Xander Harris and the clergyman’s daughter were to find out the truth then Willow may not be able to remain in peaceful seclusion for long. Dark thoughts of the old human ways reared their ugly head as William recalled lithograph pictures of how matters like these were once dealt with.

“Will, please. Willow’s my friend. She’s been my friend forever.”

Having lived a life of complete solitude, it was hard for William to understand the complex relationships and intricately entwined lives of the townsfolk of Brockhaven, but the abject worry on Liam’s face resolved the problem.

“Willow’s pregnant. She’s having Oz’s babies.”

Liam gasped softly in shock and Will understood his reaction, he’d felt exactly the same when he’d found out the news. It was hard for any teenager to accept the idea of giving up the freedom of youth to become a parent. Willow was certainly about to have adulthood thrust upon her with a vengeance.

“Babies, but how?”

Will laughed merrily. “I think we’ve just proved that you know the ways of it.”

Liam responded by thumping him gently on the arm. “But Oz is Lupan,” he said, his words still hushed and slightly awestricken.

“So will the babies be.” Will shivered and leant against Liam’s bigger body, gaining comfort from the closeness. “And they will be here soon.”

Branches creaked, twisting around and enclosing them in a sepulchral darkness so stifling that they both fell instantly silent. This proved to be either luck or something more powerful than that when from the passageway next to the Cider House footsteps could be heard, accompanied by muffled voices and a strange scuffling.

“There that’s done.”

“For now.”

“But once the bones have been dug up and destroyed then there’s nothing can be done to stop it.”

“Are you certain about this?”

“It’s what we’re here for, brother.”

Try as hard as he might Will could not identify the speakers and he had no idea what they were talking about. Unable to shake the ominous feeling, he huddled against Liam, staying that way long after the strangers had left the orchard. “Who was that?” he asked as soon as he was certain they were alone once more.

Liam shook his head. “I don’t know. I couldn’t hear well enough. I’m positive I know them though.”

“That doesn’t help much when you know everyone here.”

“It means they weren’t from out of town.”

“By that I take it that you assumed up until now that my people were behind everything?”

“Out of town doesn’t just mean your people, Will.”

Once again they were back to a spitting exchange of loaded comments and unable to cope with an argument Will swiveled around turning to face Liam. “I love you,” he said smoothing out the waters with an honest declaration of his feelings. “And I’m sorry for snapping.”

Instinctively their lips pressed close and they kissed gulping down mouthfuls of each other then when the kiss was on the point of ending Liam hooked his fingers into Will’s trouser pocket stealing the crumpled letter. “You’re not going into the town alone,” he said simply. “I won’t see them finish what they started. We’ll deliver this together. Keep each other safe.”

Will was utterly relieved. “Thank you,” he said wilting slightly and resting his forehead against Liam’s shoulder.

“What did they mean about bones?” asked Liam.

Will had been trying to fathom this out since he’d overheard the strange conversation. “I don’t have a clue. I love my mother, but she likes to keep everything shrouded in mystery. I think she reckons it will keep us all safe.”

“My father is exactly the same.” Liam sighed. “All I ever hear is that I will know everything once I am Squire. Perhaps there was once a reason for keeping the origins of this place a secret, but I reckon the time has passed for all that.”

“I agree, but the tricky part will be persuading our parents.” Stepping carefully over the twisted tree roots, Will held tight hold of Liam’s hand and headed for the path that lead to the village, all the whole thinking about the noises he had heard whilst the strangers had been speaking.

“What do you think they were doing?” he asked.

“It sounded like leaves being shoveled.” Liam tugged his hand free and studied the area carefully. “I’m certain they stopped about here.” He moved a few paces to the right and then, sinking to his knees, he slid his hands over the ground shifting the dead foliage. “The earth has been dug up,” he said looking up at Will.

It was hard to determine Liam’s expression with only a hint of moonlight as illumination but Will could hear apprehension in the boy’s voice. Squatting next to him Will began scrabbling away at the soft leafy loam. “There’s something here,” he said, his fingers closing around a small cold object.

“What is it?” asked Liam.

“Nothing too terrifying from the look of things.” Will wiped the dirt away from the item and held it up close to his face. “It’s just a bottle.” He cleared away more of the soil and as he ran his finger over the surface a flare of blue shimmered and sparkled and just as Will began to make out a grim bearded face pushing out of the clay in relief form the light died.

As Will stumbled, close to a fainting fit, Liam snatched the small object away from him. “Don’t touch it again,” he said, steadying him with an arm wrapped around his waist.

“We should put it back.” Will stared at the bottle wondering how such an innocuous thing could leave him feeling so drained.

“No!” Liam shook his head. “I’m sick and tired of not knowing what’s going on. I’m going to find out what this is.”

“Don’t.” Will was suddenly filled with fear. “If they…” He paused wondering again who they could possibly be. “If they find out you know something then you’ll be in more danger than I am.”

“I promise I’ll be careful. I won’t say a word to anyone. There’s bound to be something about all this in the archives.” Liam stared at the bottle which was still clutched in his hand. “Now let’s get that letter delivered and then you can get back to your side of the river. At least there I know you’re safe.”

For now, thought Will ominously but what about Liam. It seemed to Will that his boyfriend was in just as much danger living in Brockhaven as he was. “I wish you could come with me,” he said mournfully.

“So do I,” said Liam mournfully. “I want that more than anything but we agreed that it isn’t possible. Not yet anyhow.”

That tiniest mention of a future for them made Will ache with need. Tugging at Liam, he locked both arms around his neck and kissed him hard, his cock already up to full hardness and sticky with desire. Slipping his hand down inside the back of Liam’s pants he eased a finger down the crack of Liam’s arse and circled the tiny entrance.

“I want you,” he murmured, vocal chords strung tight with urgency. “Always.”

Liam looked at him, eyes wide and dark and he didn’t need to say a word for Will to know how much he was in agreement. “Soon,” he promised and they kissed again, the urgency slowly dwindling down to a comforting exchange that was more about love than urgent teenage sex.

Ending the kiss, Liam began to tamp down the earth then spreading out the heaped up leaves, he took Will by the hand. “This way,” he whispered choosing a different route from normal around the back of the Holly King and into the access lane that led behind the cottages. “Xander’s always up and about, he told me so, and I don’t want anyone to see us. Not even him.” he explained. Holding Will back with a palm to his chest while he checked the High Street for any sign of danger, Liam jerked a little and let out this small gasp.

“What is it?” whispered Will, falling back into a nervous silence as Liam looked at him and shook his head.

After what felt like hours had passed Liam then muttered a swift, “okay,” and darting across the street he scuttled down another of the rabbit warren of lanes.

As usual Will struggled to keep up with him. “What’s going on?” he puffed once they had stopped.

“Shhhh,” hissed Liam. “Nothing to worry about. This is the back entrance to Willow’s house. Now stay out of sight while I slip the letter under the door.”

“Yes, sir,” smirked Will. Even under pressure he was still amused and definitely turned on when the boy fell into Squire mode.

Thumping him gently on the shoulder then following it up with a quick kiss on the lips Liam sneaked up the garden path, disappearing out of sight under a straggling archway of ivy and honeysuckle. Immediately Will was left alone he was filled with a discomforting surge of abandonment. Liam was right about Brockhaven. It not only felt different it looked different also. Everything was faded and tired looking. Rubbish bins were overflowing and the flowers were wilting and parched. Pulling away a strip of peeling paint from the back gate Will watched Liam approach with a huge sense of relief that soon he could be free of this place. If only it were forever.

As soon as they were clear of the town both boys automatically began to run, taking the lane which ran through the farmland and around past Pendray Hall and down to the Meadow. Gasping with excitement and relief, Will doubled over in order to regain his breath and then leant back against the Oak.

“Safe now,” he said wanting to sing out his joy at having that weight lifted from his too narrow shoulders.

Liam didn’t answer, just dropped to his knees and mouthed at Will’s soft cock. One hint of Liam’s tongue was enough to make Will cry out with pleasure and shoving at his trousers he reached down and guided his swelling prick in between Liam’s lips trying to ignore the sight of that strange little bottle resting on the ground next to them, illuminated by a fork of lightning from another of those storms that rolled consistently in from the west.

Why did life have to be so complicated, Will wondered as he watched Liam suck and lick at him, hand pulling at his own hard on. They enjoyed each other, they loved each other, they should be free to live their own lives and damn everyone else who thought different. As those lips dragged sensuously over him Will threaded his fingers into Liam’s dark brown hair and came with a groan of satisfaction. Knees trembling he dropped down and pushed Liam back into the soft damp grass grasping him in tight fingers and working him hard with his fist until he too reached climax.

“I’ve always loved this place,” sighed Liam stretching out into the grass, ignoring the cold and the fat drops of icy rain that were beginning to spatter down. “But I love it all the more because of you.”

Straddling him, both of them still in a state of half undress, Will kissed Liam with solemn intent, loving the feel of that warm body between his thighs, loving those handsome features and strength of spirit. It was then that the fear left him. They would be together for always, he decided, because he couldn’t live without Liam Pendray.