by Jade White
One other thing Eleri hadn’t been able to tell her family was the price that Carwin would have to pay when his task was complete. With the time so near at hand, it was too painful to put into words. She gave her mother a weak smile and climbed into bed. If nothing else, perhaps she would see him in her dreams.
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She was back in Afallach, standing on the beach as the waves rolled nearby. “Eleri?” he said, his voice full of hope and fear, and she flung himself into his arms. He swung her in a circle, kissing the relieved tears from her cheeks.
“Carwin! I was so worried about you,” she said when he finally let her speak. “Where are you? I felt... I don’t know. I felt like you were nearby, and then it faded away.”
“I’m sorry, beloved,” he said, brushing her hair away from her face. “Someone with you was using an extremely powerful glamor. I didn’t realize until it was too late, but I followed you to the gatehouse. I could tell that you were safe there for the time being, and I decided to go to the keep to look for the Branch, only to realize my own stupidity. It’s much too dark in here to find anything right now. You are safe, aren’t you?”
“For now,” she agreed. “But Lord Rhys... he’s Dywell. Or Dywell is taking his form. My mother said he leaves every evening, but I don’t know what will happen when he comes back.”
“I will come for you tomorrow, I promise. I won’t leave you with him,” he said fiercely.
“No, listen, I think he might be looking for you. He knows you’re after him. You stay and try to find the Branch, and we’ll try to keep him occupied here, at least during the day.”
“I don’t think…” he started to say, and then he looked surprised and disappeared.
“Carwin?” Eleri blinked. Did that mean he had woken up? Had someone found him? Her heart started to flutter in panic, and then she felt someone shaking her shoulders.
“Eleri, you have to get up!” Gwen’s voice was painfully loud.
“What? I was having a dream. Something happened to Carwin!”
“Just look out the window!” her sister exclaimed, and Eleri ran over to where her mother was standing, holding a hand to her mouth. It was easy to see what had attracted their attention since a dragon was fighting a pitched battle with a group of shadow creatures right inside the courtyard. He spat fire at them and reared up, fanning the flames with his wings.
“What happened? Did you see?” she asked, not enjoying how scared and helpless she felt. There was no way she could help him from here, and she could already see that he was wounded.
“I heard the guards blowing a trumpet, and just as I went to the window to see what the matter was, he charged out of the keep and scared them all into running. I think he would have gone back inside, only those things sprang out of the ground to fight him.”
“We have to do something,” Eleri exclaimed as she saw a horde of shadows almost overwhelm Carwin. “If Dywell is here, we might be able to distract him. If he can’t concentrate, he might not be able to make so many monsters.”
“Good idea,” Gwen said. “I think he’s on the battlements, watching, but maybe if you say you need to speak to him, you can get him to come inside and pay attention to you.”
“Me? Why? Surely he’d be more likely to listen to Mother?” Eleri said with a frown.
“No,” Lady Megan said with a thoughtful frown. “I think Gwen is right. He does seem oddly fascinated by you. Almost as if he does have some of the memories of the true Rhys. He spoke of you often, even after we knew he wasn’t real.”
The thought gave Eleri the shivers. “You can apologize for not speaking to him last night,” her mother continued. “But you’ll need to hide your necklace. I don’t doubt he’ll recognize where it came from.”
She threw on a dress of her mother’s and a thick shawl and went to the battlements as fast as she could. The impostor Rhys was indeed watching the battle with rapt fascination, and it made Eleri feel a bit ill. Carwin was still winning, but barely, and he was wounded in more places than one. She could only hope they weren’t too serious. “Lord Rhys,” she said, a bit loudly so as to get his attention.
“What?!” he barked before realizing to whom he was speaking. He looked surprised and gratified to see her, as well as confused. “Lady Eleri. I apologize for my rudeness. Did you wish to speak to me? Is there something you require?”
She moved to stand a bit closer to him, so she could talk while still keeping an eye on the battle. “I just wanted to apologize for not speaking to you last night. So much has happened since the battle on our wedding day, and I was astounded to see you all alive.”
“Yes, of course. No need to apologize. I’m sure it was quite surprising. But I did want to speak to you about,” he paused, as if searching for words. She had to give him credit—his pretending to be human was quite convincing. “About our wedding. I know you have been through a lot since then, but I would still like to marry you, if you are willing.” Eleri felt like gagging. Even if he were the real Rhys, it would be the last thing she wanted. But her eyes strayed to the struggling dragon in the courtyard. The shadow creatures had fallen back somewhat, but still, Carwin didn’t leave. He had always been stubborn.
“I would like nothing more, Lord Rhys,” she said, painting a brilliant and false smile on her face.
“When do you think we should have the ceremony?”
“Truly? Lady Eleri, you cannot know how happy I am to hear that,” he said, and for just a moment, she could have sworn the emotion was sincere. Was his magic affecting her too? “I don’t know, but we should go inside and speak to your mother and sister about it.”
“All right,” she agreed, glancing back at Carwin one last time. As she watched, he soared into the air and dove into a hole in the roof of the keep. She let out a quiet breath of relief. What could be a better distraction than a wedding?
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Carwin landed heavily on the floor of the throne room. It had been a difficult fight, up until the end. He wondered what had made Dywell’s creatures retreat as he peered around the room. This was as good of a place to start looking as any, and the hole in the roof provided plenty of light. Luckily, it was also big enough to contain his dragon form comfortably. Without a healer nearby to treat his wounds, he would recover more quickly with dragon magic to aid him. He took a step toward the ivy-covered thrones. A soft cracking sound was the only warning as the floor collapsed under him.
He fell. It seemed to take forever. The whole castle shook as rocks and earth rained down. He hit the ground hard, driving the breath out of him, and felt the pain of ribs cracking as heavy stones fell on his back. Another struck his head, and he knew no more. Except for a brief glimmer of light that shined from an iridescent scale next to his collarbone, all was dark and silent in the keep.
THE FINAL CHAPTER
Before anyone could react, Eleri stepped forward again and raised the Branch high so Dywell could not fail to see it. “Wouldn’t you rather have this?”
Lady Megan fell to the ground as Dywell released her in a state of stunned confusion. “The Branch! How did you?” Carwin tackled him in a headlong rush, and they both fell to the ground.
Eleri’s mother ran, grabbing Gwen and pulling them both behind the safety of a pillar. The few remaining guards were so confused by the events of the past few minutes that most of them were simply watching with glazed expressions. Eleri knew what she had to do.
She raised the wand above her head. “Land, Sea, and Sky, hear my plea! A soul is prisoned by a broken oath. By the ancestors, let him be freed!” She shook the branch, and instead of the musical tinkle of bells, a deep gong seemed to reverberate through the earth.
“One of your own is bound against his will. By the spirits, let him be freed!” Another gong shook the stones, and all the world held its breath, except for Carwin and Dywell, who were on the ground, struggling over the dagger that gleamed in the fading sunlight.
; “He has done wrong, but let him be forgiven. By the gods, let him be freed!” As the gong rang out, Carwin threw Dywell off with a forceful kick, and Lord Rhys’s body slid across the courtyard, coming to a stop at Eleri’s feet.
“Let all the powers of the Three Worlds aid me and free this spirit from his earthly chains. Let him return to the land of his birth and find succor in the arms of his kin. By Land, Sea, and Sky, set this spirit free!” Nine times she shook the Silver Branch, and as she did, she could see... something... coming out of the body lying before her.
A shining, wispy essence that grew and swirled until, at the last ring of the enchanted bells, the ethereal form of a young man floated in the air, almost close enough to touch.
This, then, was the pouca that had caused so many problems. He smiled sadly at her. “Thank you for freeing me. I know I don’t deserve such mercy. And I am sorry for everything. If you give me the Branch, I will return it to Manwydan.”
Eleri narrowed her eyes at him. As sorry as she felt for the poor spirit, she couldn’t say she trusted it... him? “I give you my solemn oath that I will. May the earth swallow me and the sea, drown me, if I do not take it back to him immediately. I am already in enough trouble at home.”
Eleri frowned. She knew now that the gods and the universe would hold him accountable if he broke his word. “Very well.” She placed the magical branch into his hands. It shone like a star fallen to earth, and then, he was gone.
Rhys’ body, meanwhile, had crumbled into dust.
“Eleri! Come quick!” yelled her mother. The two other women were kneeling over Carwin, and when Eleri saw why, she ran to his side. He was lying on the ground, pale and shivering, his breath coming in shuddering gasps.
Someone, probably her mother, had thrown a faded banner over his lower half since he hadn’t exactly had the time or opportunity to put his clothes back on, but that wasn’t the important thing. The crystal dagger that Manwydan had made for them was protruding from his chest, just below his sternum, and blood leaked sluggishly around the hilt.
“Carwin, no,” she said, falling to her knees beside him and cradling his head in her lap. “Gwen, you have to run to our rooms and get my bag. You know, with the apples. It’s the only thing that can save him now.” Gwen nodded and ran.
He knew what she wanted to do, and he shook his head weakly. “Don’t waste that on me, beloved. I’m already a dead man. This is only slightly more painful.”
“I can’t let you die, Carwin,” she said fiercely, her tears falling on his face and mingling with his. “If you’re killed by this dagger, your soul will be destroyed. I’d never see you again. And you would never get to see our child.”
“Child?” he said, his eyes wide with wonder. “You mean? How could you not tell me?”
She grasped his hand tightly in both of her own. “I didn’t want to distract you from the battle. And then I couldn’t even dream about you... I wasn’t sure until a few days ago.”
“I am so... I can’t even tell you how happy I am,” he said, his voice growing weaker by the minute. “But you should let me go, Eleri. At least this way, maybe you can move on when I am gone, and Ceridwen will not get to have me either.”
She shook her head, and for a moment it seemed like her eyes sparked with inner fire. “Never. I will never give up on you, Carwin. I love you, and I will fight with the gods themselves if I have to.” He let out a small huff of resigned laughter as Gwen ran back into the courtyard.
“Which apple, Eleri? There are two,” she said breathlessly, holding both the magical fruits out in front of her.
“The red one. Give it here.” But she had not so much as touched the fruit when a gray mist boiled out of the ground with a flash of green light, and a beautiful raven-haired woman stepped into view. “Ceridwen?” Eleri said, both stunned and frightened. That was one deity she had been dreading meeting face to face, despite her brave words.
“Carwin is right, Eleri. Save that apple for when you really need it,” she said, her voice low and musical.
“No!” Eleri shouted, feeling a sudden defiance rise up within her. “I won’t let you have him!” The goddess laughed, but not in an evil or mocking way. She seemed genuinely amused, if a bit sad.
“Peace, dear girl. I have not come to whisk your beloved away but to reward him for a job well done. You have succeeded beyond what I could have hoped for.” She knelt at Carwin’s other side and put her hand on his chest. At once, color and life began to return to his face, and she drew the dagger out in one swift motion. Eleri gasped, feeling more than a little confused, though she could see that Carwin didn’t understand what was happening any better than she.
“But we agreed on the price. Her life for mine. I am not even the one who defeated him,” he said, blinking owlishly and allowing the goddess to help him sit up.
“I said your life would belong to me, to do with as I willed,” Ceridwen said, not unkindly. “I realized that turning you to stone was a waste of your talents, as well as too harsh a punishment. If things had gone differently, I might have sent you elsewhere to do my bidding when this task was complete. But you both showed mercy to my grandson, though he little deserved it, and ignored personal grievances to allow him a chance to atone for his actions. After showing such kindness and wisdom, a lifetime of servitude hardly seems like a fitting reward. So now, my orders have changed.”
The goddess stood up and smiled at all of them. She made a small gesture with her hands, and the castle was made new, with soaring towers of white stone like something out of a girlish fantasy. The courtyard was filled with flowers and birdsong, and Eleri found that she, and everyone else, was now wearing the most beautiful clothes she had ever laid eyes on.
Carwin was sitting on the ground, looking completely flabbergasted. His mouth moved soundlessly, and Eleri thought he was saying something about grandsons. That had been an unexpected bit of information to be sure, but Eleri could feel nothing but overwhelming joy.
“Now, Carwin ap Emrys, my Champion,” Ceridwen said, pulling him to his feet. “It is my wish that you continue to serve me by spending your life with this woman, Eleri, daughter of Glaw, and that you marry her this minute. At least, if she will still have you. Ancestors know you have been nothing but a headache.”
He looked at her with longing, taking her hands in his own. “Will you, Eleri? I know this is rather sudden, and I cannot imagine you have a positive view of weddings, but...”
“Of course I will,” she said, laughing and throwing her arms around him. “Sometimes you can be unbearably stupid, Carwin. Did you really think I would refuse?”
He pressed his brow to hers, and they were both laughing and crying all at once. “You are a strong, independent woman now. You might not have wanted to be tied down to an old man like me.”
“Ha,” she said, kissing him soundly on the lips. “You are never getting rid of me.”
And so they were married that day by Ceridwen herself, who conjured a wedding feast from nowhere and somehow summoned Rhian and their other friends from the temple, none of whom seemed as shocked to be there as Eleri was to see them. Manwydan and Rhiannon arrived too, with Dylan in tow, and to both Eleri and Carwin’s astonishment, he appeared to be sincerely moved by the ceremony.
As the evening wore to a close, Ceridwen pulled Eleri aside. “It is nearly time for us to go, but I would like to speak with you for a moment. Walk with me, if you will.”
Eleri couldn’t deny that she was more than a little nervous to be alone with the goddess, but she nodded and followed Ceridwen out into a small garden filled with the sound of flowing water from the magnificent fountain in the center. They stood in silence for a moment, and Eleri shifted her weight from foot to foot as she tried to work up the courage to speak.
Luckily, the goddess finally broke the tension and turned to her with a smile. “I only wanted to thank you personally, Eleri, for what you have done. For me and my grandson. And the whole world, of course. A great evil was sto
pped by your act of mercy.”
“I didn’t do it alone,” she said, her cheeks flushing hot. “I mean, I only really said the spell. Carwin did most of the work. I should be thanking you, for giving him back to me.”
Ceridwen shook her head. “You were the fulcrum on which all these events depended. How else did you think Carwin was even freed from my punishment in the first place? It was your blood. An old magic that I never expected to see. You two are fated to be together, and it was the power of your love, a love that has already spanned lifetimes, that broke through the spell I had placed him under.”
Eleri sucked in a surprised breath, and Ceridwen smiled. “You didn’t even really need the power of the apple to keep him with you, after all, but the bond between you still proved useful. A child conceived in Afallach under the spell of the Apple of Love cannot help but be special. I will be interested to see what they accomplish.”