turned to follow Cronus.
I felt unbearable sadness come over me as I watched the huntsmen and the dogs accompany the bridegroom and his horse up to the house. I thought that he looked as if he were about to be hanged at Tyburn.
16
Embroidered Eyes
I knew that I could not stay in hiding. I would have to find Medlar. Maybe he would be able to stop this wedding and save Tycho from his fate.
It was getting late by the time I arrived back at the house. The big black dog of night with its belly full of stars had already rolled over on the day.
In the entrance hall, everyone was gathered in great excitement. They whispered like a flock of birds at eventide before being ushered into the long chamber with the mirrors and the spindly gold chairs. The doors closed behind us with a loud, mournful clang. It sounded like a bell tolling for a funeral.
I stood at the end of the chamber hoping to catch sight of Medlar, but he did not appear. Where could he be? I did not know what to do. Should I go back to the stables?
By now everyone was seated and silent. Then trumpets sounded and the great doors opened once more to reveal Queen Rosmore, standing tall and proud in a gown that trailed behind her. At her neck was a ruff of fur and on her hair a black head-dress made of feathers, flightless and heavy. Her gown was covered in a hundred embroidered eyes that moved, opening and closing, staring out, searching for something or someone.
King Nablus entered behind her. He looked shaky and weak and was leaning on a stick, his body twisted like an ancient walnut tree, his long white hair hanging over his shoulders. He stood out amongst the wedding guests, carrying the weight of time on his shoulders. He nodded to the crowd, and as he approached the men bowed their heads, the women curtsied.
I moved along the great hall, staying close to the walls, pleased to see my blue light reflected back, dancing with all the other lights in the room. The King and Queen made their way to a dais. The King was helped into his chair by attendants and sat there awkwardly, his face frozen as if in surprise.
Tiny bells began to chime, rose petals fell like snow and little lights twinkled across the room. It was the setting for a perfect fairy tale wedding. Yet I knew, as did the guests, that something was very wrong.
The raven flew in and landed on the Queen’s outstretched arm. She bent her head as he whispered something in her ear.
‘Is there a stranger amongst us?’ she asked suddenly.
The room was quiet. You could hear the rose petals falling, such was the silence.
I was sure I had been discovered. I felt a sound rise in my throat. My relief was enormous when I heard the guests cry with one voice, ‘No strangers here.’
‘Then let the wedding begin,’ said the Queen.
The trumpets sounded and the hall was filled with music as the bride and groom came in. The bride, older than the prince, looked as if she was accompanying a wayward nephew to a dance, not a bridegroom to a marriage.
I was taken aback when I saw her dress. It was just like the one in the painting of my mother. Flowers were woven into her hair, too. The difference was that my mother had been beautiful and had loved my father. This bride was no beauty and loved no one so much as herself.
The music stopped and a trembling man came up on to the dais. He seemed terrified and was given more to starting sentences than finishing them. It was only when the Queen brought her gloved hand down hard on the arm of her chair and Cronus had flapped his black wings that he found his tongue.
‘We are here today,’ he stuttered, ‘for the joining of a prince and princess in marriage. We are here to bear witness that this marriage takes place with a true heart and a free spirit -’
‘Enough! Marry them and have done with it,’ said the Queen.
The bridegroom stepped forward and addressed the Queen.
‘I cannot do this,’ said Tycho. The crowd gasped. ‘Forgive me,’ he went on, turning
I felt unbearable sadness come over me as I watched the huntsmen and the dogs accompany the bridegroom and his horse up to the house. I thought that he looked as if he were about to be hanged at Tyburn.
16
Embroidered Eyes
I knew that I could not stay in hiding. I would have to find Medlar. Maybe he would be able to stop this wedding and save Tycho from his fate.
It was getting late by the time I arrived back at the house. The big black dog of night with its belly full of stars had already rolled over on the day.
In the entrance hall, everyone was gathered in great excitement. They whispered like a flock of birds at eventide before being ushered into the long chamber with the mirrors and the spindly gold chairs. The doors closed behind us with a loud, mournful clang. It sounded like a bell tolling for a funeral.
I stood at the end of the chamber hoping to catch sight of Medlar, but he did not appear. Where could he be? I did not know what to do. Should I go back to the stables?
By now everyone was seated and silent. Then trumpets sounded and the great doors opened once more to reveal Queen Rosmore, standing tall and proud in a gown that trailed behind her. At her neck was a ruff of fur and on her hair a black head-dress made of feathers, flightless and heavy. Her gown was covered in a hundred embroidered eyes that moved, opening and closing, staring out, searching for something or someone.
King Nablus entered behind her. He looked shaky and weak and was leaning on a stick, his body twisted like an ancient walnut tree, his long white hair hanging over his shoulders. He stood out amongst the wedding guests, carrying the weight of time on his shoulders. He nodded to the crowd, and as he approached the men bowed their heads, the women curtsied.
I moved along the great hall, staying close to the walls, pleased to see my blue light reflected back, dancing with all the other lights in the room. The King and Queen made their way to a dais. The King was helped into his chair by attendants and sat there awkwardly, his face frozen as if in surprise.
Tiny bells began to chime, rose petals fell like snow and little lights twinkled across the room. It was the setting for a perfect fairy tale wedding. Yet I knew, as did the guests, that something was very wrong.
The raven flew in and landed on the Queen’s outstretched arm. She bent her head as he whispered something in her ear.
‘Is there a stranger amongst us?’ she asked suddenly.
The room was quiet. You could hear the rose petals falling, such was the silence.
I was sure I had been discovered. I felt a sound rise in my throat. My relief was enormous when I heard the guests cry with one voice, ‘No strangers here.’
‘Then let the wedding begin,’ said the Queen.
The trumpets sounded and the hall was filled with music as the bride and groom came in. The bride, older than the prince, looked as if she was accompanying a wayward nephew to a dance, not a bridegroom to a marriage.
I was taken aback when I saw her dress. It was just like the one in the painting of my mother. Flowers were woven into her hair, too. The difference was that my mother had been beautiful and had loved my father. This bride was no beauty and loved no one so much as herself.
The music stopped and a trembling man came up on to the dais. He seemed terrified and was given more to starting sentences than finishing them. It was only when the Queen brought her gloved hand down hard on the arm of her chair and Cronus had flapped his black wings that he found his tongue.
‘We are here today,’ he stuttered, ‘for the joining of a prince and princess in marriage. We are here to bear witness that this marriage takes place with a true heart and a free spirit -’
‘Enough! Marry them and have done with it,’ said the Queen.
The bridegroom stepped forward and addressed the Queen.
‘I cannot do this,’ said Tycho. The crowd gasped. ‘Forgive me,’ he went on, turning
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