In today’s episode we read Chapter 25 – A Fete and a Feather - in which Lucas joins Farfalla for a memorable celebration at Meadow Lane

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Author/Producer: Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

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This week's Boopod Network podcast partner is Murder Roadtrip: https://anchor.fm/shannon-quinn6

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 25 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.  

In our previous episode, Magpie toured the house at Meadow Lane that her mother has converted into an Artist’s Retreat. 

In today’s episode we read Chapter 25 – A Fete and a Feather - in which Lucas joins Farfalla for a memorable celebration at Meadow Lane

Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a preview of a podcast I quite enjoy called Murder Roadtrip, which, like The Skylark Bell, is part of the Boopod Network of paranormal and true crime podcasts.

Now, it’s time to settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.

Lucas navigates Cormorant up the long dirt path to the house on Meadow Lane. After all this time he still feels a small tickle of fear at the back of his neck as he steps off the road onto the lane. All those years of being told not to go there, of listening to the terrifying stories, and knowing how it all ended with Magpie saving the town from the spreading silence by ringing the Skylark Bell…  He heaves a deep sigh and looks back up at the house. His fear is quickly washed away when he sees it all lit up, music and laughter pouring out from every crack and crevice. 

He suddenly recalls Magpie telling him about one of her visions where she saw Meadow Lane all lit up, like there was a celebration of some kind. He turns Cormorant around to look back at Magpie’s house, or rather, the house that would become Magpie’s, across the road. He looks up at the small attic window… it seems like only yesterday he and Magpie were going up the creaking stairs, hearts pounding with excitement at what they might find in the secret attic! Scarlet had followed them on velvet feet, knowing her secret would soon be revealed. He shakes the thoughts from his head and turns Cormorant back around, guiding him all the way up the lane to the back of the house. 

“I’ll be back soon old friend,” he says gently to the horse, tying it to a fence rail at the back of the house away from all the commotion. 

Lucas makes his way to the front door and gives it a knock that sounds far more confident than he is feeling. The door swings open immediately, and Lucas is hit with a wall of sound and smells; laughter, music, the clinking of drinkware and dishes, the smell of beer, roasting food, pie… It’s almost an assault on the senses and Lucas recoils slightly but a large arm encircles him and pulls him into the house. “Marius! Come on in my boy! It’s great to have you!” Mr. Shearwater slurs as he pulls Lucas into the house. Lucas stumbles in and smiles awkwardly. Parties have never been his thing. Someone hands him a glass full of beer and a woman shoves a plate in his hand, filled to the brim with what looks like some type of stew and a couple of thick slices of bread. He doesn’t even have time to thank her before she moves on to her next victim. 

Lucas looks across the room and sees Charlotte and Edward Carnifex, they catch his eye and smile warmly. Charlotte looks stunning an emerald green dress, and Lucas recognizes the ornate dragonfly shaped comb in her hair as the one he and Magpie found in the secret attic all those years ago. Lucas suddenly realizes that Edward’s pocket watch, the one he checks multiple times a day, was also in that old trunk, 90 years in the future. He marvels at the fact that he can see and speak to these people, people he read about in books, in letters, people he saw in creased and faded photographs… people with real feelings, real lives. Something about the realization breaks his heart. 

Lucas shakes off the sad nostalgic feeling. Skirting along the perimeter of the room, he manages to make his way toward the dining table where he puts down the plate and glass of beer. He has no intention of partaking in all the food and drink, he is here for one reason only… Just then he sees Farfalla watching him from across the room, a smile teasing the corner of her mouth. She has caught him unloading his plate. He smiles at her sheepishly and nods toward the kitchen. Farfalla smiles and nods back, and he makes his way carefully through flailing arms and legs and spilling drinks to the small kitchen at the back of the house.

“I wasn’t sure you’d make it,” says Farfalla sweetly as he’s coming through the doorway. It’s much quieter in the kitchen but his ears are still ringing from the noise in the other room.

“Well, I don’t normally go to parties but…” He begins.

“No, I meant I didn’t think you’d make it all the way to the kitchen!” she laughs, walking up to him and planting a kiss on his cheek. Lucas starts laughing too, suddenly feeling the pressure and nervousness dissipate. He looks into Farfalla’s face, as if he’s trying to decide something.

Just then, the kitchen door opens, letting in the sounds of music and raucous laughter. “Falla, come on, we’re taking photographs! Bring your friend!” says a young man with dark hair and large brown eyes.

“That’s my cousin Bruno,” she laughs. “Come on! This way!” she shouts, grabbing Lucas by the hand and leading him back into the living room. 

Bruno positions them in front of the living room wall and steps back to an old-fashioned camera. “Stand very still!” he says. Lucas stares, completely mesmerized by what, to him, is an antique camera.

“Do we have to stand for several hours?!” asks Lucas.

“Shhh! Don’t move!” says Farfalla, giving him a gentle elbow to the ribs

Bruno laughs. “No, that’s how it was with the old wooden cameras, this is the new style! My grandfather got it for me as a birthday gift!” With that he takes their photo. “Okay, you’re free to go!” he says before turning to a petite woman in a long black dress with a string of pearls, “Auntie Freda! It’s your turn!”

“This is our chance, follow me,” Lucas says to Farfalla, a secretive air about him all of a sudden. Farfalla squints her eyes at him but takes his hand nonetheless and lets him lead her through the kitchen. At the back door he grabs two lanterns and lights them before handing one to Farfalla. He leads her away from the house, toward the orchard in the field behind it. This is the moment, he’s sure of it… it isn’t the life he thought he was going to lead, but he has managed to find love and happiness all the same. As they reach the first row of trees, he turns to Farfalla and takes her face in his hands. “There’s something I have to tell you,” he says, his tone serious. Farfalla looks at him, silently, waiting.

“I…” he begins, but something beyond Farfalla’s shoulder makes him stop. Something superfluous, unclear, hazy, yet… familiar. Something way down at the bottom of Meadow Lane where it meets the road. It’s like he can see two silhouettes, children. “Magpie…” he whispers.

“You what…?” says Farfalla, startling him back to reality. He glances down at her face, then looks back over her shoulder toward the road, but there is nothing there.

“I… I have something for you,” he says, struggling to get back on track. He slips his hand into his pocket and feels the cold metal of the feather ring concealed inside. Feeling his confidence return, he looks Farfalla straight in the eye as he takes the ring out of his pocket. “This ring was given to me, long ago…” he begins as Farfalla lets out a gasp, “and there is only one person in the world who should have it.” He says holding it out to her.

“Marius, it’s beautiful!” she says, taking the ring from his palm. “It’s etched like a feather! How unique! Where in the world did you find this?!” she asks.

“It was given to me by someone very special, a lifetime ago,” he says, remembering the day a blackbird left the ring at his feet as he stood waiting for Magpie to come meet him at the bottom of his driveway. The same day they found out Farfalla had died... But here she is, now, standing directly in front of him. This is his life now; it is time to embrace it. “This ring belongs to you,” he says simply. “It would make me very happy if you would consider wearing it, as my wife.” With this, he feels a nervous panic rising in his stomach but shifts his feet to keep it down.

“I would love nothing more,” she says, smiling. “Perhaps, for now, we should keep this between us though, until you’ve spoken to Father. It is tradition after all…” she trails off.

“Of course!” he says, “I understand. Yes, it’ll be our special secret for now, and come spring we can marry and celebrate with everyone in the village,” he says, smiling.

Farfalla unclasps the delicate silver chain around her neck and loops the ring onto it before handing it to him “Would you mind?” she says, turning her back and holding her mass of red hair out of the way. Nervous, Lucas lays the chain back around her delicate porcelain neck and closes the clasp. Farfalla turns back around and falls into his arms, he lets out a whoop of joy and spins her around. Nearby, Cormorant lets out a loud whinny.

“Are you feeling left out old boy?!” Says Lucas, cheerfully.

“Oh Marius, let’s go for a celebratory ride!” she says. Lucas is only two happy to oblige, and the two of them hop on Cormorant’s back and walk silently through the apple orchard with only a sliver of moon to light their way.

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week for Wingspan chapter 26, Happy Holidays, where Magpie celebrates the season with the Sarcelles and is in for a heartwarming surprise.

The Skylark Bell is brought to you by Phaeton Starling Publishing and features original music by Cannelle. If you are enjoying this story, please consider leaving a rating or a review, they’re both greatly appreciated. You can also support my work through a donation via my podcast provider or by subscribing to my Patreon page. There you will get early access to episodes as well as MP3 downloads of the music, artwork, writing, and I have some fun snail mail gifts for Patreon subscribers coming in the near future!! Check the show notes for links.

Before I go, I’d like to share this reel for a podcast I quite enjoy called Murder Roadtrip. Our hosts travel alphabetically through the U.S. delving into strange tales from each state. If you enjoy the strange atmosphere of The Skylark Bell you’ll definitely want to check them out.

Once again, thank you for listening. I am Melissa Oliveri, creator and host of  The Skylark Bell podcast.

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