Read Online Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Russell Kirkpatrick
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Revenge, Imaginary wars and battles, Immortalism, Immortality
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Plonya, Asgowan or Sna Vaztha would be able to step into Leith's shoes. Each year they watched the Play, knowing that one day they might be asked to perform one of the roles. There were two male char¬acters: the Snaer, the symbol of deep winter snow; and the Sumar of high summer, whose task it was to defeat Snaer and set the third character free. This third character, Falla, the symbol of spring, was the most revered of the three, and was always played by a female. The defeat of Snaer and the freeing of Falla had become an intricate combination of spontaneous acting within the boundaries of a time-hallowed plot, institutionalised by yearly repetition. Leith had watched many portrayals of the Sumar in the past, and he knew what he wanted to do.
He was nervous about how the Play would turn out. It was believed by many of the more superstitious villagers that the success of the Play as a dramatic spectacle would influence the arrival of warmer weather. Some said that a badly acted Play would delay spring by weeks or even months. The Haufuth said that this was a lot of nonsense, but Leith remembered hearing about the year when the Snaer fell over and broke his wrist soon after the start. The thaw didn't arrive for three months after Midwinter that year, the Black Winter of 1016. The boy who had played the Snaer had gone to live in Vapnatak. Leith licked his lips worriedly as he thought about Lanka, who was supposed to be clumsy. He would be absolutely no help in the Play.
The two youths moved to opposite ends of the open space. Leith's Sunmask was made of oak, sanded, finely polished and stained a deep ochre. The large eyes were bright yellow, and the mouth was set in a fierce snarl. The Snowmask at the other side of the tent was black, fashioned from pine and impregnated with pitch, with tiny slits for eyes and mouth. The impression given was one of implacable power and evil. Leith had spent a lot of time wondering what he would do were he to wear one or other of these masks.
The Falla moved into the cleared circle from somewhere near the other end. Her mask was different in kind from the male masks, for, instead of being solid wood, it was made from slender sticks of birch and alder tied together and painted to look as though they were budding. Compared to the heaviness of Snow and Summer, the Springmask was delicate and fragile. It had taken his mother a long time to make. Leith studied the mask; he had to incorporate that fragile character into his own acting if he were to woo her from the Snaer.
Then his breath caught in his throat as he recognised the girl behind the mask. The Falla was being played by Stella.
Everything happened too quickly for Leith to think. All his plans evaporated in the face of the dark feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Lanka in his Snaer mask reached out for the Falla in a cumber¬some embrace, then began to move woodenly across the circle towards her. She fluttered about in a series of quick movements, darting in a seemingly random pattern about the circle, always contriving to stay just out of the reach of the black figure. The fragile Falla brushed past the tall Snaer, who stooped and missed. Leith forgot all about acting in that moment. His head went white and black at the same time; he could neither think nor feel. In a crazed departure from the traditional story, he began to circle around the Snaer and Falla even before winter had made spring his captive. He went to grab Stella but missed as she spun to avoid him, a spin that put her in the path of the black hulk of winter. In a moment the tall frame of the boy from Brookside swallowed her up, and Leith went sprawling to the ground on the other side of the circle. The crowd cheered loudly. The capture of spring and the humili¬ation of summer could not have been more perfectly choreographed.
Leith got to his feet. The fall had brought him to his senses. It was the sheerest luck that had prevented disaster. Now he began to move slowly
He was nervous about how the Play would turn out. It was believed by many of the more superstitious villagers that the success of the Play as a dramatic spectacle would influence the arrival of warmer weather. Some said that a badly acted Play would delay spring by weeks or even months. The Haufuth said that this was a lot of nonsense, but Leith remembered hearing about the year when the Snaer fell over and broke his wrist soon after the start. The thaw didn't arrive for three months after Midwinter that year, the Black Winter of 1016. The boy who had played the Snaer had gone to live in Vapnatak. Leith licked his lips worriedly as he thought about Lanka, who was supposed to be clumsy. He would be absolutely no help in the Play.
The two youths moved to opposite ends of the open space. Leith's Sunmask was made of oak, sanded, finely polished and stained a deep ochre. The large eyes were bright yellow, and the mouth was set in a fierce snarl. The Snowmask at the other side of the tent was black, fashioned from pine and impregnated with pitch, with tiny slits for eyes and mouth. The impression given was one of implacable power and evil. Leith had spent a lot of time wondering what he would do were he to wear one or other of these masks.
The Falla moved into the cleared circle from somewhere near the other end. Her mask was different in kind from the male masks, for, instead of being solid wood, it was made from slender sticks of birch and alder tied together and painted to look as though they were budding. Compared to the heaviness of Snow and Summer, the Springmask was delicate and fragile. It had taken his mother a long time to make. Leith studied the mask; he had to incorporate that fragile character into his own acting if he were to woo her from the Snaer.
Then his breath caught in his throat as he recognised the girl behind the mask. The Falla was being played by Stella.
Everything happened too quickly for Leith to think. All his plans evaporated in the face of the dark feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Lanka in his Snaer mask reached out for the Falla in a cumber¬some embrace, then began to move woodenly across the circle towards her. She fluttered about in a series of quick movements, darting in a seemingly random pattern about the circle, always contriving to stay just out of the reach of the black figure. The fragile Falla brushed past the tall Snaer, who stooped and missed. Leith forgot all about acting in that moment. His head went white and black at the same time; he could neither think nor feel. In a crazed departure from the traditional story, he began to circle around the Snaer and Falla even before winter had made spring his captive. He went to grab Stella but missed as she spun to avoid him, a spin that put her in the path of the black hulk of winter. In a moment the tall frame of the boy from Brookside swallowed her up, and Leith went sprawling to the ground on the other side of the circle. The crowd cheered loudly. The capture of spring and the humili¬ation of summer could not have been more perfectly choreographed.
Leith got to his feet. The fall had brought him to his senses. It was the sheerest luck that had prevented disaster. Now he began to move slowly
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