It seemed so strange to think it had only been two nights ago that they’d visited the woods to go badger-watching. In many ways, the woods and the world seemed like a different place to Autumn, now. She felt she knew so much more and so much less at the same time.
They reached the Rune Tree a little before midnight. Her dad had said she should bring Rose’s staff, and he took his as well. It had rained earlier in the day, while Autumn had been asleep, and the woods felt grateful for it. The first rainfall in weeks. It was still warm, but the rain had taken the edge off. It didn’t feel as oppressive any more.
The four of them reached the crossroads under a bright moon. Autumn hadn’t been sure what to expect, but she was still surprised to see not only the four leaders there next to Rose and Skoo, but hundreds of people of the woods. They were all stood, waiting.
Rose stepped forward, smiling. She held open her arms, turning round in a circle to address everyone, before stopping, once again facing Autumn and her family.
“The woods have spoken,” she said in a loud, clear voice. It seemed to carry to all of the people of the woods, even those stood further to the back of the crowds. Everyone was still, and Autumn wasn’t sure if it was just how she felt herself, but the air seemed filled with anticipation and excitement.
“The woods have spoken,” repeated Rose, “and the Protectors have been chosen.” She looked at Autumn and her dad and bowed her head. “Step forward.”
Autumn’s dad bowed his head in return, then turned to smile at Autumn.
“Ready, Autumn?” he whispered under his breath.
Autumn didn’t know what to think. Scenes and sounds of the last few days flashed through her mind as she glanced at the gathered people.
“I’m ready,” she whispered back, and they stepped forward, holding their staffs.
She thought back to the song of the woods the previous night. Even though she hadn’t understood any words, this seemed like the final piece of the jigsaw. It all suddenly made sense.
The leaders stepped forward and stood two each side of Rose.
“We of the Pinewood stand as people of the wood. We hear the woods, and we see the Protectors.”
The other three leaders all responded in the same way, and the people of the woods repeated the last line. “We hear the woods, and we see the Protectors.”
A movement made Autumn glance to her side. Her mum had stepped forward, holding Erland’s hand. She smiled at Autumn.
The leaders stepped back again, leaving Rose standing alone.
“And do you hear the woods?” she asked Autumn, her brother, and her mum and dad. “Do you accept?”
Autumn glanced at her family, one by one. Then, together, they answered.
“We hear the woods, and we accept.”
A cheer went up from the gathered people. There was clapping and stamping feet, and from somewhere in the crowd drums, fiddles, and whistles took up a beat and a tune. Skoo pulled from his pocket what looked to be the whistle he had been carving when they first met him, and joined in. Some of the younger members of the people gathered there started dancing, twirling round together, laughing. And, as the woods burst into song once more, Autumn heard a dog bark somewhere nearby.
***
The celebrations lasted all night, with singing, dancing, and lots of talking. At first light, there was a further ceremony to replace a new ring of rune stones round the Douglas fir, though Autumn heard Rose say that things were different now the Giants had been called again. Eventually, the people of the woods started to fade away to their own woods and Skoo wandered back to his house. Autumn and her family headed to the castle with Rose.
In the morning summer light, those early bursts of sunshine when everything seems clear and possible, Autumn and Erland stood in the arboretum, looking up at the trees. The Giants.
“We’re Protectors, Erland!” Autumn whispered, excitedly. Erland slipped his hand into hers, and she gave it a squeeze.
“Protectors!” he echoed.
It may just have been the first real breeze in a long time that dry, hot summer, but the trees rustled, and it seemed to Autumn that the Giants, stretching up into the impossibly blue sky, bowed their heads. Then the moment passed, and Autumn and Erland ran laughing back to their castle.
This has been such a lovely story to read. I feel a little sad that it is over, but thank you for sharing it with us Lydia!
I feel so very honored to be able to read this seasonal notebook. A beautiful story you have been able to weave.