The Bwy Hir Complete Trilogy (26 page)

Awel sighed and turned to Gwyn
. ‘We are far from perfect, Gwyn Morgan, we are not so different from you, we make mistakes, we have many flaws and we are declining, our numbers waning; all the branches of the Triskele are waning. The Druids have lost their way, they grow withdrawn and arrogant, but it was never meant to be that way, they were supposed to be the intermediaries, the links between your world and mine, serving man
and
Bwy Hir, keeping us connected and strong, but they too are failing, their numbers decline. They have lost their true purpose and I believe that one or more of them is bent on the destruction of the Chosen, but I cannot fathom why, Gwyn Morgan, why disturb the Triskele?’

Gwyn felt like crying. He didn’t know why, he just felt like lying on the grass and
bawling like a lost child. He wanted to be comforted and cosseted as he cried himself to sleep, he was too small, too insignificant to survive the world he found himself embroiled in, the river was too deep, the undercurrent too strong and he knew he was floundering.

He lifted his eyes to meet Awel’s, he licked his lips, cleared his throat and loosened his tongue, allowing words to rush out of his mouth without thinking, without consideration of what he was saying
. He just let himself express how he felt, what he thought. ‘A couple of weeks ago, I thought I was cock-of-the-hill, thought life was as simple as getting up in the morning, doing my work on the farm and going to bed ready to start the whole cycle again in the morning. I’d have Saturday afternoon off, go down the pub, chat with my mates over a couple of pints, eye up the local talent. I knew I’d have no problem finding a girlfriend when I was ready to settle down. I’m considered a catch: good family, big farm, lots of prospects … I’m not the sharpest tool in the box, but I’m not stupid, I work hard, I knew I’d do alright for myself, eldest son and all that, the farm would come to me after my father, all sorted, my life was mapped out, no worries.’

He scratched at the back of his neck
. ‘Anwen’s always been a pain in my arse, but she’s my sister, I still, you know, love her and that. We’d argue and stuff, get on each other’s nerves, but that’s what families do, isn’t it? Get on each other’s nerves, but that’s alright because your family and to tell you the truth I bloody well miss my family being at home! I need ‘em, all of ‘em, but we’re in a right mess and I don’t know who I can trust and who’s got it in for us.’ He rubbed his face with his hands. ‘Dai Jones and that lot, well I’ve known them since I was born, they’ve been good friends and neighbours, but suddenly it’s like I don’t know ‘em anymore. There’s a whole new side to them I knew nothing about, and when I was initiated by the Druids, when they burnt a bloody great hole in my chest – the scar is still scabby and itchy – suddenly I’m a different person. I've been thrown into a lake where it’s too wide and deep for me to keep my head above water, there’s bloody Druids in my house and I’m sat, god knows where, with a goddess who practically glows in the dark! I don’t even know why I’ve got my torch on!’

Awel
threw her head back and laughed, it felt good to laugh. This boy was just like his father and his father before him. He couldn’t care whether he was talking to a prince or a pauper, he spoke from the heart and that to Awel was wholesome: a virtue.

‘I am not a goddess
.’ Awel smiled down at Gwyn who seemed more relaxed. ‘I am half divine, half Human: I am Bwy Hir.’ She relaxed her shoulders. ‘I hope you will also consider me your friend.’

Gwyn smiled and put his hand out
. Awel stared at the hand. ‘Friends shake hands.’ Gwyn thrust his hand out further and Awel extended her hand towards him. He folded her slender fingers in his meaty hand and shook it, Awel was bewildered. Gwyn released his grip and sat with his forearms on his knees. ‘It’s my birthday today.’ Gwyn smiled a sad smile. ‘No-one’s here to celebrate it, I’m twenty-one today too, and that’s pretty special.’

‘Many happy returns to you, Gwyn Morgan.’ Awel felt sad for the boy.

‘Thanks … Awel.’ He asked, ‘What’s going to happen to Anwen?’

‘Truth, Gwyn Morgan?’

‘Yes, please.’

‘I do not know. Your sister and Taliesin have made a grave error of judgement. It is forbidden for Bwy Hir to take a
Human mate. But Anwen is with child; a Bwy Hir child and that is not only unheard of, but the implications of such are … immense.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Do you know what happens at the Solstice? Do you know what the Harvest is?’ Gwyn shook his head and so she continued, ‘The Solstice happens twice a year: once in Spring and once in Autumn. The Autumn Solstice is when the female Bwy Hir retire for the Winter. We will sleep soon and not awake until Spring. Summer’s reign is over, Mab no longer holds sway, Aeron is now the reigning King and will remain so until we awake in Spring and then Mab will retake power and the male Bwy Hir will slumber until Autumn: the power is shared between male and female.’ Awel checked that Gwyn understood thus far. ‘Before we slumber we receive your offering: your blood.’

Gwyn’s jaw dropped open
. ‘You’re vampires?’ he squeaked.

Awel tutted
. ‘No, Gwyn Morgan, we are not vampires, but we do absorb your blood, only a small portion, you are not harmed. Your blood allows us to regenerate, without it we age and fade, and when we fade we do not die in your sense of the word, we become pure spirit. There is no heaven or rebirth for us, we become lost souls … your blood keeps us from that fate.’

‘How do you get the blood? Do you bite us or something?’ Gwyn shuffled back a few inches.

‘I told you, we are not vampires. The Druids extract your blood and then infuse it into us.’

‘And that’s it?’

‘What more do you want?’ Awel tipped her head to one side. ‘But you don’t see, what will Anwen’s child become? Will he need the ateb – never mind – the blood, will he need blood, or will he regenerate without it? Is he then immortal? Is he Human? Is he Bwy Hir? Where does he belong? Our World? Your World? Will he have the same powers as us? What is he?’

‘Blood.’ Gwyn understood
. ‘You mean, will he be more powerful than you? Will he be a threat? Can you use his blood instead of ours if his blood is better? Bwy Hir can’t spill human blood, but a mongrel? Will he be a walking blood bank? It comes down to breeding, doesn’t it? Can he breed a whole new stock of human-Bwy Hir? Do you want a pile of mongrels running around Wales? Better he was dead, maybe?’

Awel had
underestimated this little man, he was brighter than she gave him credit for. ‘I would not harm this child, Gwyn Morgan, but I cannot speak for the others and I certainly cannot speak for the Druids. Did you consider that with new intermediaries – with Halflings, the Druids would be redundant? How do you think they would take to that revelation? How do you think they would take to their services no longer being required? You were right about one thing: it is all about blood and breeding, survival of the species.’

Gwyn shuffled forward again
. ‘Do the Druids know about Anwen and Taliesin?’

‘I don’t think so. Not yet.’

‘Do the Bwy Hir know?’

‘Only myself, the
Queen and Taliesin.’

‘Will Anwen and the baby be killed when they are found out?’

Awel leaned back, ‘Here lies the crux of the matter … The Bwy Hir cannot spill Human blood. The Druids cannot spill Bwy Hir blood. The Chosen cannot spill Bwy Hir blood. So if the child is to die, then who would wield the fatal blow? The child is protected simply by carrying both bloods. You see? Death to the branch that harms the child, including Anwen herself.’

‘What about Taliesin? What happens to him?’ Gwyn pursed his lips.

‘Again, I do not know. This has never happened before.’

‘How did it happen this time, then?’

Awel folded her hands in her lap. ‘A new ateb has been created. One that allows the Bwy Hir to reproduce more effectively, at least it seems to.’

‘You need potions to breed?’ Gwyn was surprised at that revelation.

‘We are in decline. I told you this. Our numbers dwindle. This new ateb will solve that.’

‘I don’t get it Awel, I’m sorry, why did Taliesin use this
ateb if he knew it would get Anwen pregnant? Did he want a Halfling child?’ Gwyn scratched his head.

‘He did not know she could become pregnant. As I have said, Halflings are unheard of and the
ateb is new, it is still a secret and I wonder whether I should have mentioned it to you at all.’

Gwyn felt abashed. He’d asked too many questions, opened his gob too wide. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry, it’s just I can’t help Anwen if I don’t understand what’s going on. I’m sorry. I’ll shut up.’

Awel relented. ‘I too am sorry. I grow weary. To answer your question regarding Taliesin’s fate … In truth it will depend on who reigns at the time his deeds come to light. It will also depend on how the Bwy Hir react. At best, he may be shunned by the Pride – the female Bwy Hir – they may not wish to mate with him, at least not in the interim, but he is still a child to us. He has not bloomed and is not yet considered one of the Host, therefore by the time he does bloom, it may well all be forgotten … At worst, he may be deemed Gwaradwyddedig: Shamed. He may even face the R’hela: The Hunt. He would have to fight or outsmart the Host, to survive and be reinstated as part of the Bwy Hir, or should he fail he could be banished, and so ends Aeron’s and Mab’s line. A new Summer Queen and Winter King would be elected ... The Bwy Hir could not survive such instability. I pray it will not come to that. Maybe Taliesin’s immaturity will protect him.’

‘It’s a bit of a mess, isn’t it?’ Gwyn felt ashamed all over again
. He hadn’t realised the magnitude of the problems facing not only his family, but the Triskele itself.

‘Yes, Gwyn Morgan, it is “a bit of a mess.”’ Awel smiled despite her woes. ‘Where is your amulet? I cannot feel it.’

Gwyn instinctively put a hand to his chest. ‘The Druids took it back. They wanted my father’s, but they took mine instead.’ He was still annoyed by their actions, he’d earned that amulet and he had the scars to prove it.

‘Do not be angry at the Druids
’ caution. You are still young, a very new initiate. A missing amulet is a cause for concern; it does not only mark you as Chosen, but is quite literally a key to their kingdom, and that of the Hosts. When your father’s amulet is recovered I am sure they will return yours.’

‘But I don’t know where it is.’

‘The Helgi will find it. They are trained to locate all their amulets.’ Awel became pensive as she wondered whether they had found the Druid amulet that she had told Dafydd to get rid of. Not that it truly mattered, but every misstep was a concern at present.

‘And will they find Nerys?’ Gwyn asked.

‘They should have already. The Helgi are exceptional hunters. This is what worries me. Things – people, do not simply disappear. They can be lost or misplaced, hidden or stolen, but never can they disappear, so to me, that leaves one explanation.’ Awel inhaled, she had thought long and hard about this and there could be no other explanation.

‘So where is she?’ Gwyn pressed, ‘What have they done with her?’

‘I do not think it is “they,” it is more likely “whom” … I believe she has been hidden in between.’

Gwyn closed his eyes for a second. Awel wasn’t making sense. ‘Where is
Between?

‘In between
,’ Awel corrected, ‘how do I best explain … let me return to the power of three: time, space and matter to be exact. Think how I brought you here. One moment you were in Gwydir forest, the next moment you are on the Great Orme sitting in a hollow on Pen-y-Gogarth–’

‘We’re on the Great Orme? In Llandudno? How did that happen?’ Gwyn jumped to his feet and for the first time looked around. He was on the Great Orme! That was miles and miles from the
Gwydir Forest!

‘Sit down, Gwyn Morgan, let me explain.’ She lifted up her hand and made a circle with her forefinger and thumb
.  ‘Think of this circle as now.’ She pointed to the top of the circle. ‘Think of here as where we are in “now.”’ She moved her finger to the bottom of the circle. ‘Think of this point beneath as where I want to be in “now.”’ She placed an outstretched finger to touch both “here” and “there” of “now”. ‘You see, I simply go in between using the Cerdd Carega, joining here and there temporarily so I may pass quickly between the two places.’ She lowered her hand. ‘In other words I punch a hole in time, space and matter to travel through the ‘in between’. It is the same with the Dderwydd Ddrych – the Druids cut through in between, temporarily joining their mirror with its twin on the other side.’

‘So where’s the “in between”?’ Gwyn was more confused now than he ever had been.

‘Exactly where I said it was – in between the two places!’ Awel threw up her hands, she had never been able to explain this concept to any of the Morgan men. ‘And that is where I think Nerys was disposed of. If a skilled enough Druid could bring something or someone to the point between here and there and dispose of it or them, into the nothingness, into the in-between … It would be like me letting go of you when we travelled from Gwydir to here; you would simply vanish into the nothingness.’

Gwyn shuddered at the thought of it. He didn’t want to go back home through the “in between
”, he’d rather walk. ‘So how do we get her back?’