Children of the May (Children of the May Book 1)

Chapter Eleven: North or South?

‘My sister speaks right,’ said Palomides. ‘I cannot recall ever seeing such a strange place.’

‘Nor I,’ said Epicene. ‘I have seen no place like this in my travels round your western lands.’

‘Accolon, you must be used to grand places like this?’

‘Sorry, chum, never been to this one.’

‘We can’t have gone that far,’ said Mordred. ‘We can’t have sailed somewhere that none of us know in one day and one night. Even helped along by the storm, one of us should recognise it, or at least have an idea of where we are.’

‘Might it be an enchantment?’ said Elia. ‘A ghost castle to keep us in this place? The Greeks tell this story about the trickster Odysseus – he and his men got trapped on the isle of the witch Circe. She tempted Odysseus’ men with wine and cheese and turned them all into pigs because she had a craving for bacon. This could be something similar, keeping us here for –’ she covered Alisander and Aglinda’s eyes and mouthed ‘the beast’ at the rest of us.

‘What’s she doing? What’s she doing?’ said Aglinda, struggling against the musician’s strong hand.

Epicene shrugged. ‘I have heard of such things,’ she said, ‘but I can sense no magic in the building. It is no illusion.’

Mordred nodded. ‘Well, whomever Melwas saw in there clearly isn’t going to let us in, so I suggest we stay out of the forest and go up the coast. We’re bound to find a fishing village or at least a cottage before long.’

‘And what do you propose we do when we get there?’ said Accolon. ‘Do you stand by your words on the ship, about stirring up people against the king?’

Mordred looked at Accolon’s sneering face. ‘Aye, I do.’

‘Those were large words, my friend. Some might say foolish words from a youth such as you.’

‘Your king kidnapped us, hoping to send us to our deaths,’ said Palomina. ‘Have you forgotten all those children who drowned in the wreck? Those poor children we sat with for days?’

‘Are we going to find help or not?’ said Mordred. ‘None of this talk is useful if –’ he jerked his thumb towards the forest.

‘What does he mean?’ said Alisander, his eyes wide with fear.

‘Very well, old chap,’ said Accolon. ‘Though I suggest we go south, down the coast.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘South is where the civilised folk are, generally speaking. And look what happened last time we followed your orders.’ He glanced at Piers. ‘Frankly, dear boy, I’m not convinced you’re best placed to lead us.’

Bellina agreed loudly. ‘Prince Accolon is a prince, after all. He outranks the rest of us, he should lead.’

‘Hey,’ said Agravaine. ‘That’s uncalled for. And, actually, I’m a prince too, though I dinnea bloody go on about all the time.’

‘A Prince of Orkney hardly counts,’ said Bellina.

Agravaine shook his head, but did not respond.

‘Ep-p-p-p-picene’s a princess too.’

‘Does it matter?’ said Mordred, opening his hands. ‘After what we agreed on the ship, does it really matter? We should decide together, as a group. Put it to the vote. Do you agree, Accolon?’

Accolon bowed his head graciously. ‘Now that we all have stomachs full of food that I provided, I can see no better time for a vote.’

Agravaine snorted; that was a hard kind of politics.