Chamly's Quest Read online

  Chapter 5

  THE CELESTIAL OWL

  The donkey’s ears were the first to move as a fly settled first on one and then the other ear. It buzzed away intruding on his dream of a field full of cabbages and annoyed, he opened his eyes. He disturbed Chamly who had been asleep beside him. They both stood up and looked at their surroundings. Sunlight streamed into the orchard washing away the eeriness of the night. He wondered where the girl had gone and called out to her several times, but still there was no reply. Shrugging his shoulders, he started looking for something to eat. In amongst the weeds he found a small, shrivelled apple and ate it quickly. The apple lacked juice and he needed a drink from the trough after eating it, but found that overnight the water had become murky. The water trickling over the horse’s teeth was still clear and Chamly leaned over and took a sip from the horse’s mouth.

  The stone head jerked back and growled. ‘Yuck! Enough of that! I’m not the kissing type!’

  Shocked, Chamly fell backwards and landed on his bottom.

  Looking up from his grazing, the donkey saw that the boy had taken a tumble and trotted over to see if he was all right. Too stunned to speak, Chamly pointed at the horse’s head.

  The donkey looked at the head.

  ‘What are you looking at?’ it growled.

  The donkey screeched ‘Eeeeeeeeeeeeorrrrrrr’ and galloped to the furthest corner of the orchard.

  Chamly gathered himself up off the ground. Keeping his distance from the horse, he whispered tentatively, ‘Talk to me again.’

  ‘About what?’ the horse replied gruffly.

  ‘Well, I think a good place to start would be why you are stuck in a wall?’

  The horse rolled his eyes. ‘These things happen!’

  ‘No they don’t!’ Chamly snapped back. ‘I’ve been long enough on this planet to know that there’s something very odd about a talking horse-head attached to a wall who, I might add, was a stone sculpture a second ago.’

  The horse looked down and noticed he didn’t have any legs. ‘What’s happened to me? Last time I looked, I was a magnificent white stallion, owned and loved by a beautiful princess. We were in a fierce sand storm and found shelter at this farmhouse. An old woman let us in and offered the princess a cup of tea.’

  Chamly turned and looked around the perimeter of the orchard. He had not noticed a house, but beside the quivering donkey, a crumbling pavilion stood with the roof caved in and its supports reaching for the sky like a brace of ribs. He turned back to the horse. ‘It’s derelict. She won’t be in there now.’

  A look of great sadness passed over the horse’s face and Chamly changed the subject quickly. ‘I’m curious to know where the rest of you has gone.’

  ‘What do you mean….the rest of me?’ the horse asked.

  ‘Well your legs for a start!’

  ‘Don’t be stupid. They’re not gone. They might be missing for the moment, but they’ll turn up.’

  ‘Legs don’t go missing!’ Chamly retorted.

  ‘Hoo….hooo. Oooooo. Hooollo…’ came a voice from above them.

  Startled, Chamly and the horse looked up and saw a large white owl perched in the branches above them.

  Slightly disturbed that she appeared to have lost her hoot, the owl spread out her enormous white wings and glided down to them.

  Chapter 6

  THE PEACH

  Perching on the trough, the owl looked up at the horse’s head. ‘Hooo….You think you’ve got problems!’ She ruffled her feathers in indignation and tried to hoot again. Failing, she said miserably, ‘I hope I get my hoot back before I meet up with my relatives or I’ll be a laughing stock. For the past eight hundred years, one member of every generation of my family has had to come down here and live in this orchard until ‘something strange’ happened. The Head Owl chose me quite a few years ago after my uncle died a lonely death. You can’t believe how relieved I am that you’ve turned up.’ She cocked her head to one side and gave Chamly a grateful look.

  Bewildered Chamly asked, ‘Me? What about him?’

  ‘Your arrival into this courtyard has broken a spell that was put on it eight hundred years ago. Why do you think this horse has come alive, if not because of ‘something strange’? Anyway, the crux of the matter is that I’ve been asked to guide you to the Mother of the Western Skies. You have to deliver a peach to her.’

  ‘What peach?’ Chamly asked. ‘I’m starving!’

  ‘Before I tell you where it is, you have to promise me you’re not going to eat it. The peach needs to be taken unblemished to the Mother of the Western Skies.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous. She’s only a myth. Where’s this peach?’ Chamly asked impatiently.

  ‘Listen. I know you’re a growing boy who needs feeding regularly, but don’t eat the peach. It’s a magical one that only grows once every three thousand years. It must be taken to the Mother of the Western Skies. How do think the horse would feel if you ate it? It could be the means of his release?’

  ‘How could a peach help the horse?’

  ‘I haven’t the faintest idea! Now, are you going to be a good boy and do as I say?’

  Chamly sighed. ‘Do you think this mother will give me some food when I’ve delivered the peach to her?’

  ‘She’s a mother isn’t she? Of course she’ll give you some food. Come on, I’ll show you where the peach is.’ The owl flew over to a peach tree that Chamly had not noticed before. One large ripe peach hung from its branches.

  Just as Chamly stepped under the peach tree, he stumbled on a stone and instinctively grabbed a branch to steady himself. The whole tree shook and the owl almost fell off her perch.

  ‘Hurry! Pick the peach before it drops,’ she shrieked.

  The peach swung precariously by a tiny thread of stalk as Chamly quickly curled his fingers around it and plucked it from the tree. Gently he put the peach into his pocket.

  ‘You were so long, I was beginning to think I’d be here for another eight hundred years,’ the horse muttered as Chamly and the owl made their way back to him.

  ‘If you complain anymore, that’s exactly what you will be,’ the owl said sarcastically as she perched on the edge of the trough again.

  ‘Do you know how I ended up as part of this wall?’ the horse asked, deliberately ignoring her last remark.

  ‘I’ve no idea. Perhaps if the boy drinks again from your lips, the rest of you will spring to life. Do the horse a favour boy, and drink some more water,’ the owl commanded.

  Chamly obliged. Leaning over the trough once more, he put his lips to the horse’s lips.

  Rearing his head in disgust, the horse cried. ‘Now really! Isn’t there another way we can do this?’

  ‘Come on, I’m not that bad.’ Chamly laughed, patting the horse’s nose. ‘Just shut your eyes and think of your legs.’

  The horse rolled his eyes. ‘Oh if you insist, but do it quickly.’

  Chamly quickly sipped some water from the horse’s bottom lip.

  ‘Ugh! Ugh. Ugh!’ the horse wailed in disgust and wobbled his lips across his teeth. He looked down expecting to see his legs. Seeing none, he said between clenched teeth, ‘I don’t believe this! Where are they?’

  The owl tittered and shook her head. ‘I will discuss your problem with the Mother of the Western Skies. Perhaps she will know what to do.’

  ‘You’ll forget me, I know you will!’ the horse wailed. ‘You haven’t even told me your names.’

  The owl fluffed her feathers and looked disdainfully at the horse. ‘My friends call me Celeste; but I don’t know that I’d call you a friend.’

  ‘Ignore her,’ Chamly said chuckling. ‘I’ll be your friend. My name is Chamly, what’s yours?’

  ‘Jade.’

  ‘Well, nice to meet you Jade. I’m sorry you can’t come with us now, but I promise that I’ll do my best to get you released from this wall. Now I think it’s about time I met this mother. It would be best Celeste, if you stayed out of the way whil
e I get the donkey out of the orchard. He’ll never move otherwise. Look at him. As you can see, he’s petrified of both of you.’

  ‘Does he really think a little thing like me is going to hurt him?’

  Chamly grinned. ‘It’s not the size of you that bothers him, Celeste. It’s the sounds coming from your mouth that are the problem.’

  ‘Well I wonder whose fault that is? I was fine until you walked into my life,’ Celeste retorted. ‘I’ve been ordered not to let you out of my sight, so I’ll fly above you. Once you reach the main road, just follow it up the mountain to the lake.’

  Chamly strode towards the donkey standing beside the crumbling pavilion.

  After much persuasion, the donkey still refused to budge. Exasperated, Chamly happened to glance through one of the gaps in the pavilion walls. He gasped when he saw a headless skeleton covered in cobwebs, sitting at a table, still dressed in a tattered yellow dress. Its skull was lying on the table beside a dusty teacup with its eye sockets staring straight at Chamly.

  His sharp intake of breath caused the donkey to look up. Seeing the skeleton, he needed no more persuasion and charged out of the orchard with Chamly running after him.

  Outside the orchard walls, Chamly managed to calm the donkey down and climb on his back. It was not long before the donkey was making his way up the road as if the devil was after him.

  Several hours later, after rounding yet another bend, the donkey came to a sudden halt. In front of him, throngs of people dressed in a myriad of embroidered silks were dancing to music beside the shore of a beautiful lake. The smell of food wafted towards them and Chamly nudged the donkey forward with his knees.

  As the donkey stepped forward, the crowd became silent. Not a twang from an instrument nor a whisper passed between them as they turned to stare at the boy and the donkey.

  It was so unnerving that the donkey was about to turn and make a run for it when a woman’s clear commanding voice called out,

  ‘There you are!’

  Chapter 7

  THE MOTHER OF THE WESTERN

  SKIES

  The crowd parted and a very tall, beautiful woman dressed in a glittering purple gown, walked regally towards them. Perched on one of her hands was Celeste, who looked just as regal as her perch.

  The donkey started to shake with apprehension at the sight of the owl. The beautiful woman saw this and quickly whispered something to Celeste. Looking slightly put out, Celeste flew up into the air and circled high above as the woman stroked the donkey on the neck and reassured him that she and the owl meant him no harm. Though not entirely convinced, the donkey managed to relax under the touch and waited for Chamly to climb down.

  Looking at Chamly with piercing blue eyes, the woman smiled. ‘I am the Mother of the Western Skies and I am so glad to meet you. Will you join me for some lunch?’

  Words failed Chamly. Nodding his head, he slipped from the donkeys’ back.

  As Chamly wandered off, the donkey’s composure snapped. He was about to make a run for it when a man appeared beside him whispering gently into his ear that he had this field and it was full of cabbages and as if mesmerized, the donkey followed him.

  Recovering his composure, Chamly took the peach from his pocket. ‘You wanted me to bring you this.’

  The crowd gasped at the sight of it. Taking the peach out of Chamly’s hand, the Mother of the Western Skies asked him to follow her down to the waters edge. The crowd parted to allow them through. At the shore of the lake, Chamly looked on aghast as the Mother of the Western Skies threw the peach into the middle of the lake. What a waste, he thought to himself. He could have eaten that peach. As it sank below the surface, he was amazed to see the whole lake light up with a turquoise glow. The crowd cheered.

  The Mother of the Western Skies raised a hand for silence. ‘The peach has been blessed. It’s time to celebrate. Look how the water is receding already.’

  Chamlys’ eyes grew larger as the water drained away to nothing. When it had all disappeared, dripping tables and chairs were left standing on the lake floor.

  ‘Did someone pull the plug out or something?’ he asked incredulously.

  The Mother of the Western Skies laughed. ‘No Chamly, this is the Celestial Lake where miracles are known to take place.’

  ‘But I recognise this lake. I was born here. I come here for my holidays. My aunt lives in a yurt up here.’ Chamly looked across the lake to see if he could see it, but a thick blanket of mist covered the far shoreline.

  ‘Time for lunch I think,’ the Mother of the Western Skies said and led Chamly to an enormous white canopy held aloft by four white poles. From the top of each pole, a golden flag fluttered in the breeze.

  As the crowd surged forward to the now dry tables and benches on the lake floor, the Mother of the Western Skies asked Chamly to sit down on one of the large white cushions beneath the canopy. While cooks served up food and wine to the jovial crowd, two serving women placed a low table between them with bowls of steaming rice and barbecued chicken laid out on top. It wasn’t long before Chamly was lying back against the cushions, his stomach filled to the brim. His thoughts turned to his mother and a great sadness overcame him. He missed her so much.

  Having said nothing while Chamly ate, the Mother of the Western Skies noticed the sadness creeping over Chamly and quickly clapped her hands. The serving women reappeared and removed the table and bowls.

  When they were alone again, she turned to Chamly and said gently. ‘I know you are only twelve years old Chamly and should be enjoying life as a child, but your circumstances have changed. It is vital you listen very carefully to what I have to say to you, because your life will depend on it. A week ago, I was informed by the Great Head Eagle that a she demon had been spotted in the area.’

  ‘A she demon!’ Chamly exclaimed in disbelief. ‘I thought they only existed in myths and fairytales?’

  ‘As you thought I did?’ the Mother of the Western Skies questioned. ‘Believe me, this she demon is for real. When you picked that peach, you immediately became the greatest threat to her existence.’

  Chapter 8

  THE MOTHER OF THE WESTERN

  SKIES EXPLAINS

  ‘So, why couldn’t you pick the peach?’ Chamly asked suspiciously.

  ‘Because I was not chosen to pick it.’

  ‘Who chose me?’ Chamly demanded.

  ‘Sakyamüni, Buddha of the Present.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous. He’s been dead for ages.’

  ‘Immortals like him are never dead.’

  Chamly looked at the Mother of the Western Skies with the dawning realization that he was talking to one of those immortals.

  ‘Is the white horse head in the orchard an immortal as well?’ he asked. ‘I was going to ask if you could help him. He has a slight problem. He’s stuck in a wall and is very unhappy about it.’

  The Mother of the Western Skies looked surprised. ‘So he’s alive! The she demon did that to him eight hundred years ago on the day she tried to cut down the Sacred Peach Tree with an axe. Fortunately the tree is eternal and stronger than rock, and every time she hit it, the axe just bounced off. She was interrupted in her efforts by the faint cry of a girl and a knocking on the orchard door. Obviously she was frustrated at her inability to cut down the peach tree, and she was determined to take her anger out on something or someone else. Hiding the axe behind the tree, she shed her reptile body. An owl happened to be in the orchard at the time and almost fell out of his tree with shock as he saw an old woman, wrinkled with age, step out of the discarded skin.

  ‘What does the she demon look like?’ Chamly asked.

  ‘Her main disguise is that of a snake. She was given the power of transformation when she was created at the beginning of the universe and can change into anything. It is fortunate that she was not given the power to fly or we really would be in trouble. Let me continue.

  As an old woman she ushered the girl and her horse into the orchard. Leaving the horse
to graze under the trees, she led the girl into the house for a cup of tea. A few minutes later, the old woman came out of the house and retrieved her axe before going back inside. The owl flew to the window and watched helplessly as the old woman crept up behind the girl and chopped off her head. Shedding her now blood-spattered clothes and wrinkled skin, the she demon slithered towards the unsuspecting horse. Gathering speed, she head-butted the horse against the wall. While it stood dazed and ready to collapse, she spewed out great globs of saliva and clay from her mouth and covered the horse’s legs and ribcage. The clay hardened immediately. Cackling in demonic glee at the sight of the horses’ struggle, the she demon plastered his body and the surrounding wall with more clay. Then, using her snake body as a rolling pin, she rendered the whole wall flat. She left the head protruding just so she could abuse it with her claws. Hurling insults at him, she nipped and sliced his face until finally bored with the game of torture, she slithered out of the orchard.

  The owl was surprised to see the horse still alive after such an onslaught of violence and flew immediately to the Head Owl to tell him what he had seen. The news soon reached me. Appalled, I went down to the orchard to see if I could release the horse. I wept at the sight of his blood soaked face and gently wiped the blood away. He pleaded with me to release him from the wall, but unfortunately, I could not do this. The she demons clay has magical qualities, which I cannot undo. While I thought about what to do next, a flash of light from the Sacred Peach Tree took the horse out of its misery and turned him into a water feature. It was I who placed a trough under his head, so that the water would collect for the occasion when he would next need a drink. There was nothing more I could do except ask the Great Head Owl to provide one of his clan to watch over the orchard until the next strange thing occurred. As I left the orchard, I sealed the door and I have to admit, I have not been down there since.’