Brian Jacques - Redwall #06 - The Outcast of Redwall

Meriam sat with Bella until the ancient badger fell asleep. Before she left the room, the Abbess picked up a faded scrap of parchment from where it poked out beneath the rush floor-mat. She stared at it.

Give him a name and leave him awhile, Veil may live to be evil and vile, Though I hope my prediction will fail, And evil so vile will not live in Veil.

Even as the servers laid breakfast places early next morning the news was out, starting as a whisper and growing like a grassfire until it was common gossip throughout Redwall Abbey.

“The poisoner has been caught in a trapit was Veil!

Abbess Meriam saw no point in discussing the dreadful affair; she would speak of it when the time was right. Meanwhile, she sat calm and pensive at the table, her mood affecting the many Redwallers until breakfast in Great Hall became a hushed and somber meal. Many looked toward Bryonys empty place. They nudged one another and shook their heads sympathetically; the good mousemaid would be feeling very sad this day.

When the meal was finished, the Abbess rose to make a short speech.

“Please go about your work as normal and try not to gossip loo much about last nights events. This afternoon when tea is finished, I would like you all gathered on the lawn in front of the gatehouse. To lighten the mood, Meriam smiled one of her rare smiles. “It is a beautiful morning outside, and Im sure everybeast has something to do. Come, cheer up now. Redwallers, and lets not have any creature injured in the rush for the door!

Grinning sheepishly, the diners rose and ambled slowly out.

30?

Togget, Jodd, and Barlom had put together a plate of food and a beaker of dandelion fizz. They placed them on a cloth-covered tray, with a posy of summer flowers arranged in a small jug. Bryony was sitting beneath her favorite apple tree in the orchard, head bowed. She looked up as her molefriend placed the tray in front of her.

“Coom on, missie, he said, “eat ee up an smoil, lookit that gurt long face, eell ave et rainen afore long, hurr!

The mousemaid let out a long shuddering sigh. “Oh, why, oh, why did he do it? How could he? To try to poison ... Oh, I cant bear to think of it. He must have known that hed be caught sooner or later.

The squirrelhare waggled his ears playfully. “Sooner, the way I planned it, jolly good ruse, wot!

Jodd was silenced by a glare from Barlom. The kindly mouse pushed the tray forward encouragingly, saying, “Eat something, pretty one. You wont solve anything by starving yourself. Come on, just a morsel.

Tears sprang to Bryonys eyes as she grasped the Recorders paw. “Im sure Veil didnt mean to do it, Barlom. What will they do to him?

Barlom dabbed at her tears with a spotted kerchief. “Bryony, dont waste your grief on Veil, he will only break your heart. You have a life of your own to live. Whatever punishment he receives will be according to the rules of our Abbey. There is nothing you can do to change that.

Veil hammered and banged at the thick, elm-planked door of the storecave, his voice hoarse from shouting.

“Let me out of here, dyou hear me? Open this door!

Clenching his beetroot-stained paws, he battered the door afreshYoure only a bunch of stupid mice, you aint got no right to keep me locked up; get this door open. Now! Flinging himself down on a straw pallet, he sobbed.

Skipperjo had taken charge of the storecave keys, and now the brawny otter unlocked the door, following Friar Bunfold inside as he delivered the prisoners lunch. At the sight of the food, Veil stopped weeping; he threw himself at the tray and began tearing ravenously at his meal. The Friar turned his head away in distaste as the young ferret slopped and gurgled, half-chewed food and hastily swigged drink spilling from his open mouth.

Veils eyes narrowed, and he glared hatred at his captors. “Well, whatre you two thickeads gawpin at, eh?

Skipperjo shook a warning paw at Veil. “Mind yore manners, ferret, or Ill mind em for ye!

Veil bared his needlelike teeth at the otter. “Whatll you do, streamdog? Knock me out like that big daft rabbit pal of yours did last night? Well, go ahead, everybeast in this Abbey wants to beat me up, or pull me ears off.

He switched his wrath to Bunfold. “Oh aye, I wont forget you, fatbelly. Found your precious blue jar, did you, eh? After blamin me for pinchin it. Everybeast in this lousy place hates me; I never had a chance from the first day I was brought here as a babe! He went back to eating, snuffling, and weeping around mouthfuls of food.

“I know that Bryony put the pot back secretly, Friar Bun-fold squeaked sternly, “but I didnt say anything for fear of getting her in trouble.

Veil began chuckling through his tears; it was not a pleasant sound. His eyes shifted cunningly around the storecave. Skipperjo moved to block the half-open door as the ferret held up his crimson-stained paws, laughing. “Heeheehee! Nearly got you, Friar Fatbelly, didnt I? Pity silly old Myrtle never drank enough to finish her off. Oh, but dont worry, Ill get you all before Im finished. Heehee! Veil the red-pawed poisoner, eh! Well, next time it wont be just poison Ill use, itll be a noose, a rock, a dagger, anything I can lay my blood-colored paws on. Heeheehee!

Friar Bunfold drew back fearfully from the grinning ferret; Skipperjo shepherded him out and turned the key in the lock, saying, “Something11 ave to be done about that beast, es crazy!

Midnoon saw a visitor to the Abbey, a tawny female owl called Wudbeak. She visited Redwall every summer to exchange news and gossip with her Abbey friends, but also to satisfy her craving for candied chestnuts. Abbess Meriam, assisted by Jodd, Redfarl, and Sister Withe, had helped Bella , down from her room, and along with many other Redwallers ; tbey sat on the banks of the Abbey pond. Wudbeak ate a great many of her favorite nuts from the improvised picnic that had , been spread in her honor.

Jodd watched her, frowning slightly. “By the left an center! Wheres she puttin them all?

Redfarl whacked him in the stomach with her bushy tail. “Exacly the same place youd be stowin em if we let you loose on those nuts, you great walkin stomach!

Having finished eating, the owl sucked dandelion fizz through a hollow cornstalk to clear her mouth for speaking. “Ah, very nice, so twas indeed! Now, me fine Abbess, tis yerself sittin there tike an ould stone wid ears, waitin on me news.

Meriam was used to Wudbeaks odd accent, and she nodded quietly as the owl took another suck at the straw before continuing. “Dye not know a fierce-lookin kestrel bird called Skarlath?

“Yes, he has visited here once before to warn us of an attack.

“By the faithnfeathers, thats the very feller, a fine hawk-bird. Well, now, not five days since, no, I tell a lie twas six. Anyhow, theres meself, sittin on an ould mossy log countirf me feathers an who should fly up but himself, the hawk that is. Sez he tme, are there many ottersnsquirrels in this part of the woodlands? So sez I thim, well yesVno in a roundabout sort o way; theres treejumpersnwaterdogs aplenty, if you was ttake the time tbe iookin for the beasts. Why dyou ask? Well sez he, because I carry this amulet round me neck, tshow them, theyre tcome tthe aid of my Lord Sunflash at the mountain of Salamandastron on the far west shores. Well now, isnt that the wonderful thing, sez I thim, an who, me bold bird, is yer Lord Sunflash when hes at home? Marm, sez the hawk tme, he is the great and mighty Badger Lord Sun-flash the Mace!

Bella cast off her shawl and stood up. “Sunflash the Mace, Lord of Salamandastron! Oh, thanks be to fortunes and fates! Did the hawk say what he looked like?

Wudbeak cocked her head to one side thoughtfully. “Why no, ma, he didnt, but why dyou ask?