That night, Peter fell sleepily into bed, having had an excellent dinner, a surfeit of Elvish stories and songs, AND a final ‘goodnight story’ from Morvith about the Olden Days.
She had regaled him with the events that used to take place during the Spring Festivals in the mountains. Meanwhile, Sarah was already in bed and fast asleep. She had had a very tiring day helping Aunt Myf set the cottage to rights again.
After supper she had taken time off to go to the Point, where she watched the seals playing round the rocks until the sun began to go down. Aneryn had come to find her and beg her to come inside before nightfall. Sarah, having no desire to meet with any of Orddu’s creatures, almost ran back.
“I will watch you whenever you come out here on your own. You must not be here alone. Until our people have put Arddu in his place, you are not safe. In fact, I think you really ought to have stayed in Arx Emain with your brother.”
Sarah flushed, she felt guilty now she was here, at leaving Peter behind.
“Someone had to help Aunt Myf,” she began.
“Yes, but I wonder also if your Aunt should be here either. Never mind, in you go, and keep safe. If danger threatens, you will both have to return to Arx Emain and we will have to think of an excuse to give to your Aunt’s neighbours and to Sergeant Emmanuel!”
“Goodnight, then,” said Sarah, and passed into the cottage. Aunt Myf had made a very good supper and they were both glad to retire early for the night, having first locked a brand new front door and all the windows.
The night passed uneventfully, and the next day and the day after that. In fact nothing remarkable occurred for some time so that Sarah was lulled into the false sense of thinking that nothing was going to happen until Gwyn-ap-Nudd’s armies beat Arddu in battle. Then dawned a day when all seemed more than usually perfect.
The morning began bright and sun filled. Sarah woke feeling as if the events of days past must have been a dream, save for the fact that Peter was not there. Even Aunt Myf seemed quite cheery.
“How many eggs, dear?” she asked; giving Sarah a beaming smile from over the laden frying pan, where bacon and sausages already lay sizzling.
“Oh, two please,” said Sarah, and set about laying the table.
Through the window the sea glittered in the distance. The day promised to be hot!
“May I go to the beach today, please, please, can I?
Aunt Myf’s face clouded for a moment.
“Well,” she said slowly, in a considering sort of way, “I suppose we do have our protectors.”
“It would be such a pity to miss the weather and the seals were playing last night. I’ll only go for the morning and be back for lunch.”
Sarah’s eyes pleaded her case.
“All right, then,” Aunt Myf said at length, “but come straight back here at twelve o’clock. That way I shan’t worry. I still have some cleaning and tidying to do, and about two tons of ironing.”
“Great! Thanks Aunt Myf.”
Sarah pushed her empty breakfast plate from her, kissed Aunt Myf and flew to her room, breakfast tea mug in hand. She soon made up a bundle containing swimming gear, towel and sun lotion (UV factor 20, just in case – Aunt Myf was always safety conscious). She also took a book, a hat and sunglasses.
Draining her mug of tea to the dregs, Sarah rushed out via the kitchen, from which she collected a banana and two chocolate biscuits.
“Oh! I see there are going to be penguins on our beach this morning,” said Aunt Myf.
“Ha! Ha! Very funny, Aunty; see you later alligator, bye!” and Sarah was gone.
Aunt Myf smiled and turned to the washing up and then to the ironing.
“A nice quiet morning’s work I shall have and then tea in the garden,” she thought pleasantly to herself, “I’ll mow the grass and we can have a nice cream tea and sit on the lawn.”
She turned on the radio and began to iron T-shirts. Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto floated over the ether.
“Such a calming melody,” Aunt Myf said to herself.
On the beach Sarah had spread her towel. The sun had warmed sea and sand and she stretched herself out on her stomach, hat pulled down and sleepily sorted out a few pretty shells from the sand. She must have dozed for a few minutes as she started up with a feeling that her hands were wet, as indeed they were.
The incoming tide had caught her and most of her front and the towel were wet. The water was pleasantly cool. Having moved towel and belongings to a drier haven, further up the beach, Sarah plunged into the blue waves.
Round the corner, the seals were playing, and the whole world seemed to be playing with them. Seagulls swooped overhead and it appeared to Sarah that the little bay had never looked so pretty.
Near midday, as Sarah dried herself off on the beach, Aunt Myf was getting a little lunch ready. Sarah must come back soon.
“I’ll just go and pick some fresh mint for the dressing,” she thought, and went out into the garden to fetch it.
Sarah packed up her things, tilted the sun hat forwards on her head, slung her beach bag over her shoulder and began to climb up the path that led back to Aunt Myf’s cottage. When she arrived, the back door was open. In the kitchen a very nice lunch was laid out on the table: ham, salad and potato salad.
“Aunt Myf, I’m back,” Sarah called happily.
There was no reply. Perhaps she had gone to her room and didn’t hear. Sarah looked in the bedroom, then the bathroom and then through the cottage. Aunt Myf was nowhere to be seen.
“Oh where has she gone?” fussed Sarah, angry now because she had enjoyed her morning on the beach.
By this time she was feeling very hungry. She also felt that this hiccup threatened to spoil the nice ‘ normal’ time she was having.
“Bother Aunt Myf! Well, I’ll just eat some lunch before I look anymore. Anyway, she’ll probably turn up if I start without her. She must have forgotten something and popped up to the corner shop.”
Sarah gave herself a large helping of potato salad and tried to make herself feel comfortable about eating lunch alone, but it was not fun. She ate quickly and being careful to leave a good portion for Aunt Myf, she put her dishes in the sink and took an apple to eat for dessert.
Aunt Myf still refused to appear, so she covered the rest of lunch with plastic film and put it in the fridge. Then taking a can of ‘cola’ and another apple, she went to make a search of the garden and paths.
Far away in Arx Emain, Peter had become fed up with reading and Stone watching. This particular afternoon, after a very large luncheon, he had taken a nap in his room. He woke suddenly at three o’clock, after an uneasy dream in which he had somehow been employed at rescuing gerbils from the tops of trees! (Sarah and he had once had a pair of pale fawn gerbils).
He had just handed the penultimate gerbil to Sarah, who was standing on a ladder below him, when something made him jump. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he pulled himself together and ran down the corridor to find Anir, Aneryn Morvith, ANYONE! Deep in his heart something told that Sarah and Aunt Myf were in danger.
At three o’clock Sarah had stopped searching and was sitting on the garden wall in front of the cottage, wondering what to do next. Should she go and telephone Sergeant Emmanuel? Should she try and find Aneryn and the Elf guard in the woods?
She had just decided upon the former course of action and had jumped down from the wall in preparation for return to the cottage, when Aneryn found her. She ran from the woods above the cottage, looking about her from side to side, in a state of great anxiety.
“Sarah, Sarah, you must come with me quickly. Please come and help, I have just found your Aunt.”
“What’s happened? Aunt Myf?”
“We have just found her, Echel and I, as we were making a patrol around the cottage. I am not certain, but I think she has felt the breath of Orddu.”
“Oh no!” cried Sarah, and she began to cry.
Aneryn patted her hand and pulled her over towards the wood.
“Come on, help us to get her into the cottage.”
As she spoke, she pulled Sarah towards the woods. They ran forward. Just as the undergrowth began to grow sparse under the trees, Sarah saw Aunt Myf lying face down on the leaves. Was she alive or was she…?
Aneryn motioned Sarah to help turn her. When they got her face up, Aunt Myf gave a strange snort.
“Thank goodness!” thought Sarah.
Then with another snort came a twisted smile, as if she were in some kind of enchanted dream. Aunt Myf then opened her eyes, smiled at Sarah and said:
“I am Bloddwen’s…!”
“Bloddwen’s what?” demanded Sarah, urgently.
“I am Bloddwen’s…!”
“She is not finishing the sentence,” complained Sarah.
”What on earth is she talking about?”
Aunt Myf shut her eyes.
“I think I could make a guess,” said Aneryn, “but it is only a guess and can wait until I see Anir in Arx Emain.”
“Yes,” she said, watching Sarah’s face fall, “we must return with the greatest haste. Ah! Here is Echel with the horses.”
Echel appeared through the trees with two horses, much to Sarah’s disappointment. He bowed low to Aneryn.
“My lady Aneryn,” he said softly, “there are about a half dozen of Orddu’s creatures to the north of the road. There are but seven hours of clear daylight remaining to us. How shall we manage to gain Arx Emain before it is truly dark and the creatures of Orddu become a serious threat?”
“Let us get this poor lady to her cottage while we think.”
“Very well my Lady, but we had best think quickly.”
Echel and Aneryn made a cradle under Aunt Myf’s head and chest and motioned Sarah to carry her feet. Gently they got her into the cottage and put her down on the sofa.
“This is bad,” said Echel, “we are only three. Elivri was not due here until tomorrow night.”
“It is very serious,” agreed Aneryn, “but we must be in Arx Emain again, somehow, before midnight. We cannot withstand a full attack here. If the creatures are near, Orddu cannot be far away. I do not understand. Something is going on in this area that must be part of the larger plan Arddu has, concerning Gwyn and the Stone.”
Sarah suddenly had a brainwave.
“If we could get Aunt Myf to walk, I know how we can get nearly to Arx Emain in half an hour. And Echel, you could meet us by the road!”
Aunt Myf opened her eyes again.
”I am Bloddwen’s…” she sighed.
Sarah patted her hair.
“All right Aunty, come on, wake up, please do!” she whispered softly in her ear.
Surprisingly, Aunt Myf did seem to waken just a little. She opened her eyes wider and sat up.
“I am Bloddwen’s…!”
“If only she could walk, I can get her almost to Arx Emain” repeated Sarah.
“How?” queried Aneryn.
“There’s a BUS STOP opposite the track to Arx Emain. It’s a request stop for the bus that goes to Haverfordwest. If Aunty will walk to the bus stop in the village we can go on the bus.”
“But surely you will not manage her in this state?” said Echel.
“Well, Sarah may be right. However, she will certainly need assistance and I have never ridden in one of your ‘horseless carriages’,” mused Aneryn, “would your ‘BUS’ also carry me?” she asked.
“Of course!” cried Sarah. Then a thought struck her.
”Suppose Sergeant Emanuel comes back? I’d better have some explanation as to why we are away. Let’s think: Um, Er, we’ve done the ‘pony trekking’ one, what can we say?”
She sat down to think, head in hands.
“I know she said at last, I’ll ring Sergeant Emmanuel and tell him that we’re going to Skomer Island to do some bird watching. People often do stay on there you know. I’ll also ask him to keep an eye on the cottage.”
And with that, she rushed off to the ‘phone.
“I am Bloddwen’s…!” said Aunt Myf.
When Sarah returned she was smiling.
“Well, that’s fixed. Now then, there’s a bus at half past four which will get us to Arx Emain, or nearly so, by five.”
“I will need some disguise,” said Aneryn, “people will be able to see me on the bus. It would look rather odd if one of your companions were invisible. Therefore I shall wish myself to be seen, but I had better not look too strange.”
“I’ve thought of that,” replied Sarah, and she disappeared to Aunty’s bedroom.
“I shall, with your leave, ride to the appointed place and meet you with horses. Guards will be posted near to the Hill of our Kingdom and I can get help from them and raise the alarm if you deem it necessary,” said Echel.
“I deem it so. Let it be done as you say.”
Aneryn and Echel bowed to each other and soon afterwards, Echel could be seen riding lie the wind, away from the cottage, closely followed by Aneryn’s horse.
Sarah returned with an old crochet cardigan of Aunt Myf’s and a large sun hat of Italian straw, which had seen better days. A few battered roses hung from a faded green ribbon round it. She also carried one of Aunt Myf’s old handbags. She proffered the ‘disguise’ to Aneryn.
“Here, you don’t have to put anything in the bag,” she said, “just carry it and wear these and you’ll look almost normal.”
Aneryn put the cardigan over the long grey tunic she was wearing.
“Don’t worry about your long skirt, they can be quite fashionable these days.”
Sarah ran off again. She went to fetch a few items from her and Peter’s rooms and then made ready to lock up the cottage.
“We had better leave,” said Aneryn.
“Come on Aunt Myf, I do hope you can walk.”
“I am Bloddwen’s…!” said Aunt Myf flatly.
Sarah pulled her arm and with Aneryn’s help got her to stand up.
“Walk, Aunty, please walk!” said Sarah.
“I am Bloddwen’s…!”
“Come ON Aunt Myf!” Sarah raised her voice.
It seemed to work, for Aunt Myf began to walk to the door.
“Good!” said Aneryn.
When Aunt Myf reached the front door Aneryn stood behind her and put her hands on Aunt Myf’s head and whispered something to her. After that, they had not much difficulty in setting Aunt Myf to go where they wanted her to go.
Sarah locked the front door behind them and the three of them started off up the track towards the village and the bus stop.
“And a motley three we look, too!” thought Sarah.
Meanwhile, Peter was trying to explain to Anir and the Elves what he felt.
“Calm yourself, please, little man,” said Eldol, as Peter began to dance up and down with vexation.
Peter ignored the ‘little man’ description of himself, and spoke up passionately:
“But something is wrong. I can feel it.”
Anir came late into the Great Hall and Peter had to tell his story once again.
“Come Peter, sit down, take a good breath and explain to us what you think is happening.”
“I was asleep. I woke up and all of a sudden, it was as if someone had called me, just like when we get called for school in the mornings at home. So I got up and I just felt inside of me a feeling that something is wrong, perhaps with Sarah and Aunt Myf. I don’t know, but it’s coming to me stronger every minute.”
He looked round the Hall, as if Arddu and all his dark army would come crawling through the walls at any moment. Eldol looked at Anir and they nodded at each other.
“Double the guards outside and extra on the gates,” said Eldol, grimly.
He signed to a tall Elf at the doorway who bowed low and disappeared in a hurry. Peter was very surprised. He had expected to have a lengthy argument with those in charge of Arx Emain in order to persuade them to do anything at all. Again, as if Eldol read his thoughts, the Elf said to him:
“We thank you, Peter, and we take account of what you say, for you are sensitive to many things having handled The Gardar Stone. This may be the first move of Arddu’s against us. He will know from his spies that Gwyn and Ederyn have not yet gathered all their armies together. He is probably preparing to strike a blow early, hoping to catch us off guard, thereby winning some advantage. He will attempt to confuse us also with his wiles. He little knows how ready we are! However, some trickery he may have planned that was not in our calculations and we must be ready for that also.”
Turning to Anir he said:
“I suggest we post messengers from here to the cottage at Cwm-yr-Eglwys. If an attack is made upon Peter’s relations then the guards themselves may need assistance.”
“Aye, my lord Eldol,” said Anir, “but suppose the enemy has them already?”
“Then we take council and think again. You mortals must always rush into everything! Do not climb the mountain until it sits in your path.”
Eldol turned to Peter who, ashen white, sat on the bench beside Anir.
“Morvith, bring us some water please. This young gentleman looks as if he might faint.”
“I will not!” said Peter, most vehemently.
But he was pleased to drink a mug of water when Morvith brought it.
“May I emphasise to you, Peter,” said Anir, “that you must not leave Arx Emain just now for any reason. I mean that even if your family should ask or even if you thought it would save a life, you must not go! Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
“Yes sir!” said Peter, more astonished than ever.
“Just in case,” said Eldol, looking hard at Peter, “it were wise to put a guard at Peter’s door also.”
“Don’t you trust me?” asked Peter, worried.
He was an honest boy and to have people, or Elves believing him to be untrustworthy was something he found deeply shocking.
“We trust you, never fear, but we do not trust The Dark One. He plays many tricks to get what he wants. That is the power he wields in the world.”
“But I don’t see why I should have a guard. Arddu can’t get inside Arx Emain can he?”
Eldol smiled:
“He cannot come inside Arx Emain, not even with Gwyn away. Also we have the power of the Stone to protect us. No I do not fear that.”
“Well then, what?” Peter’s eyebrows shot upwards.
He could not follow the Elf’s reasoning at all.
“Do you not see, Peter,” broke in Anir, “you may be the key that Arddu requires to unlock the power of the Stone. He cannot come in here to take it – and you!”
Here Peter turned pale again.
“But he might, by his evil arts, tempt you in a dream to come out to him bringing the Stone with you. Thus he would gain the Stone and someone to wield it for him.”
“Oh, goodness! I never thought he could do that.”
Peter had so far felt himself completely safe inside the Elf Kingdom. This last was a shock to him.
“I have explained some of the dangers to you before,” said Anir seriously, “but as long as you do not leave here you are fairly safe. However, your sister and Aunt are now of some concern. We will do all in our power to see that they are safe, so do not think of going out to help them yourself. You must be very strong, Peter, although the temptation to leave may become overpowering, you must not give in. It is of Arddu’s making.”
“Yet I say this,” said Eldol suddenly, “if you are determined to resist temptation, you will receive help.”
“Thank you,” said Peter quietly.
He knew that now he was really the Elves’ prisoner, even if they did not put it quite like that. There was nothing he could do. Sarah and Aunt Myf could be in danger and he was unable to do a thing to help them. He buried his head in his hands.
“Come and sit by me,” said Morvith, “we will be setting supper out shortly and there will be a tale and some singing after, which may cheer you up a little.”
“Very well, I will,” said Peter.
Then he called out to Anir who had got up to leave with Eldol.
“Hey, Anir,” Anir looked round, “please, can you tell me: how long will Gwyn be away?”
“Do you not recall? Two days, maybe three to go over the sea. Then he has to gather the kindred together and bring them back to the meeting place. From tomorrow onwards we shall be waiting for his messengers. Perhaps Ederyn will return first. He will bring Elves from the North kingdom, which is very powerful. Now I have business with Eldol and some of the others. We must set a new guard and make plans in case Arddu does think that he can attack us. Farewell.”
And with that he left the Hall.
Peter went and sat miserably on a stool by the fire. Morvith and others were busy bringing in food for the evening feast. It always was a feast here in Arx Emain. True this place was wonderful, beautiful beyond anything he had ever seen in the world outside, but he longed to see the sky once more and walk on the grass under the trees. Even to have Sarah tease him again, like she always did, would be preferable to being a prisoner in this Elvish paradise.
A great longing for the world outside, the REAL world, welled up in him. It was so strong that he nearly ran out of the Elf Kingdom there and then, risking all. What was happening outside? Where were Sarah and Aunt Myf? He threw a twig angrily onto the fire and watched it crackle and burn.
“Do not let the Destroyer influence your head or your heart,” said a voice.
It was Morvith. She brought Peter a dish of vegetable broth and some crusty bread. Then she sat beside him while he ate. She remained silent until he had finished.
“Do not worry, Peter, your people will come to you soon. I know it, I feel it.”
“Thank you Morvith.”
Morvith removed Peter’s dishes.
“Listen to the singing and be cheered.” she said, and went to join the other Elves.
Peter did as Morvith bade him. In fact he had not much choice, but after she spoke to him he had begun to feel just a little better. Perhaps Sarah and Aunt Myf were on their way to join him. Perhaps at any moment they would arrive.
He was waiting for something positive. This was much better than all the doom and gloom that he had had from Anir about Arddu coming to get him. Peter shuddered and thought to himself:
“I will concentrate on Sarah. I do so wish that she would come soon.”
At Cwm-yr-Eglwys a strange trio waited at the bus stop in the village. There was a stop slightly nearer but Aneryn had asked if there was one nearer to ‘the houses of men’ and advised waiting there instead.
“I doubt Orddu or her creatures would dare attack three of us in daylight and so near to the ordinary Menfolk of your village.”
“I jolly well hope you’re right,” said Sarah, and meant it!
The bus arrived almost on time. Actually it was five minutes late but at four thirty five they were climbing onto the bus. Sarah paid for all of them out of Aunt Myf’s housekeeping purse and sat Aneryn in the middle of the bus. Then, having collected the tickets, she went to sit behind them.
“I am Bloddwen’s…!” said Aunt Myf, for about the 2000th time!
Thought Sarah:
“This is beginning to be really irritating.”
She looked at Aneryn who sat close to Aunt Myf on the inside of the seat. Her head tilted forwards so that the straw hat had almost covered her face. The bus roared on its way. Aneryn spoke never a word.
“I wonder if she is nervous, being on a bus for the first time,” Sarah wondered to herself.
With Aunt Myf deep in an enchanted trance and the Elf lady silent, for whatever reason, Sarah had time to think over events. She suddenly, desperately wished that Peter were there. What a beastly selfish person she had been. She felt sorry that she had wanted her holiday, no THEIR holiday back to normal again. The Elves were right, she should have stayed with Peter at Arx Emain. If only she had, perhaps Aunt Myf would not be in this state. This day, which had started off so well for her, had ended in near calamity. Sarah gave herself a good telling off.
“You should have waited at Arx Emain, like they said. Only two or three days and Gwyn might be back from over the sea and Ederyn returned from the North Kingdom. Perhaps,” she mused, “I wonder if they have any news at Arx Emain. I expect Peter will be one of the first to know.”
That set Sarah off thinking about her brother and how callously she had used him. Involuntarily, a large tear dripped from her right eye and plopped on her knee. She took out a tissue, blew her nose and tried to compose herself. Sarah was so dispirited that she did not notice dark shadows moving in the trees by the roadside.
“I am Bloddwen’s…, I am Bloddwen’s…!” cried Aunt Myf, in a very agitated fashion.
“All right, all right, calm down now Aunt Myf. We shall soon be there and everything will be all right!”
Aunt Myf’s agitated state had brought Sarah out of herself. The bus sped on its way. Soon she must get up and press the bell so that it would stop at the request stop.
“Oh I do hope Echel has arrived. Oh please let him be there,” whispered Sarah, under her breath.
She rose and pressed the bell. The bus drew to a halt and let the three of them off. To the left of the bus stop in a small spinney of ash trees Echel was walking a sweating horse up and down.
As soon as she alighted from the bus, Aneryn spied Echel and she ran to him.
“Ah! Well met brother Elf,” she cried.
“Well met indeed!” replied Echel “There are a great many of Orddu’s creatures about to the north and the east.”
“Yes, I saw them as I traveled inside the human’s horseless carriage. A useful machine, but I must say that a journey on one is not something that I should care to repeat. Nasty, noisy smelly thing!”
“Come on Aunty” Sarah was saying, as she pulled Aunt Myf towards the Elves’ meeting place.
“She had better ride. I think my horse will stand the path to Arx Emain now,” said Echel.
“My horse Wen, Did she follow?” asked Aneryn.
“Aye, Lady, but not as swift as I rode for I knew I must be here to meet you.”
Echel turned to Sarah and Aunt Myf.
“Haste, haste! Come Ladies, both of you must mount.”
Echel led his horse around to where Aunt Myf stood transfixed, staring into nothingness. Sarah prepared herself to assist the Elves in getting Aunt Myf up onto Echel’s steed. They had just all got hold of her, when they heard the noise of horse’s hooves on the road behind them.
Echel threw back the cloak he was wearing to reveal the short blade he was carrying, though it was more of a long knife than a sword. Quickly he drew it and rushed towards the sound.
“Orddu and her creatures! And yet, maybe?”
Aneryn stood in front of Aunt Myf to protect her.
“Get behind me Sarah until we see who comes.”
Suddenly the horse and its rider appeared; crashing through the bushes as they made their way from the road to Arx Emain. Echel ran back to the little group. He was grinning from ear to ear.
“It is the Lord Ederyn. He is come at last!”
“Well, I didn’t think it was the enemy with you rushing back like that!” muttered Sarah, under her breath, as Ederyn’s horse plunged through the undergrowth and came into view.
“Welcome, welcome,” cried Aneryn and ran to greet Ederyn.
However, although Ederyn smiled back at her and Echel, it was a grim smile.
“No time have I to greet you as I should.”
He drew his horse up beside Sarah, reined in and dismounted.
“The armies of the Northern Kindreds are approaching Arx Emain. I have ridden on ahead of them and I have been followed this last mile by a THING that is grey and wolf-like.”
He looked at Aunt Myf. One look told him all. He made a sign to Echel and almost in one move, together they lifted Aunt Myf up on to Echel’s horse; and before she knew what was happening; Sarah was being lifted by Aneryn, up behind Ederyn.
Echel with Aunt Myf were already riding as fast as they could away to the entrance of the Elf Kingdom. A horse that had to be Aneryn’s trotted into the spinney. Sarah saw her mount.
“We follow!” she heard Aneryn call, as with a mighty bound, Ederyn sped away from the spinney and on to Arx Emain.
“Hold tight Sarah! No, tighter still, little maid,” Ederyn called to her.
Sarah held on as best she could. Then something made her hang on like ‘grim death’. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something that looked like a very large dog. It was a huge grey she-wolf, though its shape was shadowy, like smoke. Fire flashed in its eyes, and worse still, others came in a massive crowd behind it. These wolves were smaller but no less terrifying.
“Don’t look!” commanded Ederyn, as he spurred his horse on to greater speed.
Ash trees, birches and brambles flew past in a blur. Sarah shut her eyes but she was sure she could feel the giant wolf’s breath on her leg. It seemed an eternity before she heard other voices.
“Elves,” she thought, “Arx Emain. We’ve got there after all!”
Sarah heard the gates of the Elf kingdom open; the clatter as Ederyn’s horse crossed the inner courtyard; the shouts of joyful welcome for the brother of Gwyn-ap-Nudd, King of the Elves. Only when she realised that Ederyn’s horse had stopped and that she was being lifted from its back, did Sarah dare to open her eyes.
Aunt Myf had already been helped away to one of the underground rooms where Morvith and others were waiting to care for her. Ederyn was swamped by his kinsfolk who were eager for news. He was swept down the corridor with Echel and the Lady Aneryn, who had managed to escape the wolves, also by a hair’s breadth.
Sarah watched them disappear towards the Great Hall. It seemed as if they had all forgotten about her. She was wondering what to do and where to go, when a voice whispered her name:
“Sarah.”
It was Peter!
“Oh Peter!”
Peter came out from the pillar behind which he had been standing. He had been watching the arrival of the others. They hugged each other for a long time. Then Sarah said:
“I’m really sorry I left you.”
“And I’m sorry that you have had all that trouble with Aunt Myf.”
He patted her on the shoulder.
“It’s time you had something to eat. Let’s go! The others have gone to the Great Hall, come on, let’s follow them. You look as if you could do with something.”
“I certainly could,” replied Sarah, “I’ve had rather a shock.”
“I can tell you have,” her brother said, sympathetically.
He led her down the dark tunnels to the Great Hall. It was now filled with candle light and light from the fire, and was decorated with early autumn and late summer fruits and flowers. Ederyn was seated at table to the right of Gwyn’s throne. Next to him were Anir, Aneryn, Echel and their friends.
Morvith noticed the children’s arrival and found them a place at table, having reassured them of Aunt Myf’s condition, which was ‘comfortable’.
“I’ve had something already,” said Peter, “you dig in. You can tell me your news when you’ve recovered a bit.”
Sarah discovered that she was suddenly very hungry indeed and eventually, though he swore that he was not hungry, Peter managed to keep her company in good style. For some time eating took a distinctly greater priority than talking.