Title: "Glimpses"
Disclaimer: These are not my characters… these are not my characters… these are not my characters…I think you got the message.
Summary: In Prydain, Taran has a dream in which he is allowed to glimpse upon those who left for the Summer Country.
*** Okay, people. This is my first piece of fanfic for this site, and I know that it isn't that great… in fact, it is pure fluff… but could you review it anyway???" ***
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Night had fallen upon the land of Prydain. Thousands of jewel-like stars were twinkling brilliantly in the peaceful darkness. The moon hung high in the sky like a lantern, casting pale light on the young man sitting by the castle window. His white tunic, hanging nearly to his knees, was loose and untied, and his leggings were a soft brown. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the window pane. Suddenly, the door opened and slammed against the wall with a hard smack! The young man jumped up from his window seat, startled.
In the doorway stood a young woman, a couple of years younger than he. Her red-gold hair hung in waves to her waist, and a pair of mesmerizing blue eyes stood out on her delicate face. From the young woman's neck hung the silver emblem of a crescent moon. She wore no footwear, and was dressed in a simple white nightgown to fell past her feet. The young woman placed her hands upon her hips, and gave the man an irritated glance.
"Taran of Caer Dallben, do you not know the meaning of chivalry? I was in the sitting room preparing for bed, and I was talking to you, and when I turned around, you weren't there!"
she cried. Taran gave her a sheepish glance.
"I thought you had finished your thoughts." he said defensively. The young woman sighed and rolled her pretty eyes.
"Then perhaps you should mind what is going on. A king, and a husband, must be patient and attentive, Taran of Caer Dallben." she said with a slight sniff of pretend hurt. Taran sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Quit mocking me, Eilonwy! And stop calling me, 'Taran of Caer Dallben'! I can never be that again!" he cried in uneven tones. He turned away from her, and again rested his head against the window. Eilonwy instantly felt bad about her trivial remarks, and approached him softly.
"I miss them too, you know." she said softly, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. Taran looked down at his wife, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. He quickly wiped at his eyes in shame.
"They never stray from my thoughts for long. I can picture them as clearly as though we had last met yesterday. I can see us all at Caer Dallben… Fflewdurr, clutching the remnants of his harp. Good old Doli, as touchy as ever..." he said with an affectionate laugh in his voice. "… I can still see Glew and Gurgi, Taliesin, Dallben, and Gwydion himself. Oh, how I miss all of them." he said, his voice filled with yearning for times past. Eilonwy folded her hands and placed them behind her back. Casting her eyes to the ground, she implored,
"Do you regret the choice you made then, Taran?" Taran sought the face of his wife, and gently tilted her chin up with his fingers.
"Not for a second. Prydain is my home, and it is I who must take care of it. And do not think I doubt my feelings for you, for I love you more than I think you sometimes are aware of." he said softly. Eilonwy blushed softly, and said,
"I know more than you think, dear husband. I miss them sorely too, and sometimes, I even fancy that we are all still together…" her voice trailed off, and she closed her eyes. The two stood there together for a long moment, remembering companions of times not so long ago. "…We still have each other." she ventured softly. Taran smiled, and kissed her upon her forehead.
"And for that I am eternally grateful. Come, let us sleep." he said. Eilonwy crossed her arms.
"What gave you the idea you could tell me what to do?" she said indignantly. Taran smiled at her with amusement.
"Fine, if you rather wish to go glimpse into a mirror and chatter to yourself, by all means go ahead. But I shall be very lonesome here without you." he said, pointing to the large bed, swathed in blue linens. Eilonwy sighed mockingly.
"If you must insist upon it, High King of Prydain." she said. Taran grinned at his wife, and walked about the room, blowing out the candles that had dimly lit it moments before. He climbed into the large, comfortable bed, and felt Eilonwy slip in beside him a few moments later. Turning over on side, his wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and buried his face into her neck. Eilonwy placed her hands on his arms, and sighed contentedly. Moments later, she was asleep, her breathing even and peaceful. Taran kissed her cheek softly, and looked again at the large moon hanging in the window. Just as he was on the brink of unconsciousness, he whispered,
"What I would not give to see them… one last time…"
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It seemed as though he had only closed his eyes for a moment, but when his eyes opened again, he was no longer in bed with Eilonwy, although he still wore his loose white tunic. Instead, he was in a land unlike anything he had ever seen before.
The golden sun felt warm upon his skin, and the sky was a perfect azure blue with fluffy white clouds. The hills and valleys were covered in lush green grass, and surrounding by thriving trees and plants of every kind imaginable. The animals walked and grazed in peace among the flourishing plant wildlife. Taran inhaled the deep perfume of the flowers, and sighed with pleasure. Then he looked down, and gasped with shock. His feet weren't touching the ground!
He was floating, a few feet off the ground. Taran's heart leapt into his throat, beating frantically with awe and fear. He looked about, spinning his head from side to side.
"Where am I?" he cried out despairingly.
Just then, the beautiful scene began to fade from his sight. His chest tightened with anxiety once again, as the scene suddenly changed. Now he was looking in on a small cabin, in a clearing in the woods. He could see two figures outside the cabin. Taran peered closely, trying to find out their identities. He did not have to wait long, for soon enough the two figures emerged from the cabin and out into the clearing. For the second time, Taran gasped as he recognized the two figures… Dallben and Gwydion!
"Gwydion! Dallben! Is it truly you?" he cried, rushing to the side of his former master and friend. But, to his heart's anguish, they did not acknowledge him once. In fact, it was almost as if they could not see him at all. That is when Taran made yet another startling revelation.
"They cannot see me, they cannot hear me. I do not exist to them." he realized. His heart sunk further than he ever thought it possible, and grief nearly overcame him. What kind of cruel twist was it that separated him from his companions, he wondered. To his right, Dallben was speaking to Gwydion.
"My friend, I feel as if two hundred years have been taken off my life." he was saying. And he looked it as well. Many of the wrinkles that had been embedded into the old man's withered skin had disappeared, and he walked with the dexterity of a much younger man than he. Even his eyes seemed brighter. Gwydion, as well, looked healthier, although he still appeared wolf-like. Taran still had a hard time believing that all this was actually occurring. He drifted towards the ground, and sat hard upon the earth, dumbstruck, and watched his friends as they walked slowly in the clearing.
"And you look it too. The Summer County agrees well with you, old friend." remarked Gwydion kindly to his counterpart. Dallben smiled wryly.
"That it does, but a piece of my heart lingers elsewhere." he said. Gwydion glanced sharply at the older man.
"What troubles you." he asked.
"My thoughts are with the boy and the former Princess of Llyr." he said simply, his voice showing hints of affection. Gwydion nodded his shaggy head sympathetically.
"As are mine. I think of them often." he admitted quietly. "It is not my wish that our young friend is kept from his fate, for Prydain shall thrive in his hands. But I cannot help sometimes but to think him here with us." Dallben glanced at the taller man shrewdly.
"While it is wise that you mind your feelings, they betray too much of your heart. The boy, as much as I have come to care for him, is where he always belonged, and it would be errant to think him elsewhere." he told the man firmly. Gwydion furrowed his brow slightly, a look that would seem predatory if they did not know the face.
"Yet you say they remain in your thoughts. Where does your feelings truly lay, old friend?" asked Gwydion. Dallben turned and stood still, almost pensive. He then faced his long time friend again.
"I cannot say I do not miss them, for my heart is fond of them both. I only desire to know if they are happy and content together." he said in low tones. At this comment, Taran's heart ached with unspoken feelings. Gwydion grinned, a look not entirely natural on his usually grim face.
"I daresay that our red-haired princess is driving the boy witless with her chattering, and he in turn is vexing her. But, such is the way of things. And I am sure, that in spite of how much they tire each other, they only care for each other more. I do not doubt their happiness together." he said simply, his voice lighter than Taran had ever heard it. "And I daresay that he and Eilonwy wonder about us sometimes." Dallben nodded his head.
"If there were someway to tell them that all is well, then I would do it. But I have lost all my powers, and if even if there was a way to reach them, I do not know it. I can only hope that they shall be as content as we now are." Dallben spoke, his voice clear and untarnished. Gwydion stared off, and unknowingly came to rest upon Taran's unseen face. The young king felt his heart quicken.
"Perhaps they are, old friend. Perhaps they are." he said softly. Taran sighed deeply, and gazed into the older man's face.
"If only you knew." he whispered intensely.
Suddenly, just like before, the scene began to blur in front of his very eyes. Taran struggled toward them only to realize that he was suspended in the atmosphere again.
"No! No! Do not take me away!" he cried out. But it was in vain, for as sudden as Gwydion and Dallben had faded from his view, another scene replaced it. Now, he was away from the cabin in the clearing, and now inside a lofty home by a shining blue lake. Taran stared about in wonder, and scrubbed his face with his fingers.
"I must be in the Summer Country." he remarked in a tone full of emotion. He glanced around hurriedly to see what might meet his eyes. To his joy, over in a corner of the cabin, were the great bard Taliesin and his spiky yellow haired comrade… Flewdurr Fflam. Taran was so enthralled he nearly cried out, only to remember that it did him no credit. He simply stared at the two figures as his feet slowly lowered to the ground. Flewdurr held a harp in his hands, though it was not nearly so beloved as the one that once forced him to tell the truth. At that moment, Taliesin was saying,
"Not so, son of Godo. Play upon the harp as you would play upon your feelings. Play with true emotion." Fflewdurr set the harp down hastily in his frustration, and replied somewhat crossly,
"Great Belin, a Fflam may be patient, but even patience has its limitations! Maybe if the old pot weren't so bent out of proportion…" his voice trailed off, and he quickly looked over his shoulder. Facing Taliesin abashedly he said, "Ah, well, what I meant to say is… that I am rather distracted right now and I am having a hard time concentrating at the moment." Taliesin looked at the yellow haired man with an infinitely serene look.
"What is it that troubles you? Surely, nothing more can be desired in such a place as this." he implored.
"How about a talkative princess and a headstrong lad with a mind of his own?" he responded sarcastically. Taliesin nodded compassionately.
"So it is lost comrades that you yearn for." he stated simply. Fflewdurr gazed at his superior with a look that could not be read.
"To say the very least, I do. There is not a week that goes by that I do not think of them, and I long greatly for their company. But, a Fflam is not weak hearted!" he cried, sticking his head proudly into the air. Taliesin looked on with an amused air.
"It is nothing to be ashamed of, Fflewdurr Fflam, Son of Godo. You cannot help who you care for." Fflewdurr crossed his arms indignantly.
"I wish I didn't care so much about them…" His thoughts and voice were once again interrupted as he glanced over his shoulder. His sighed deeply and said, "To be honest, I am afraid not to think of them. I fear I shall forget about them someday."
"You shall not forget those whom you love, not even in our eternal lifetime, for those who lie close to the heart are not soon forgotten." replied Taliesin wisely. Fflewdurr peered into the other man's face beseechingly.
"And you're sure of that?"
"You doubt my judgment, Son of Godo?" asked Taliesin.
"Great Belin, I only wanted to be sure!" Fflewdurr cried, throwing his hands up into the air. Taliesin laughed out loud, and said,
"Mayhap you pour some of that into your music. Take what you feel… for instance, your longing for Taran and Eilonwy… and make that the essence of your song." Fflewdurr glanced at him sharply, clearly thinking him witless, and picked up the harp once more. Slowly, his fingers touched the strings, and out came one of the most beautiful sounds Taran had ever heard.
The melody was beautiful and haunting, wrapping itself around Taran's heart and floating on the air like a summer breeze. The song itself sang sweetly of times long past, and times that would never be again. Taran closed his eyes slowly, and took in the striking music with deep shaking breaths. As rapidly as the music had begun, it abruptly ended. Taran slowly opened his eyes, and watched as Fflewdurr set down the harp once again, and looked once again to the great bard. Taliesin smiled at him slowly.
"You are getting the feel of it, Son of Godo." he murmured.
Taran looked on with elation as the two bards smiled at each other. And all too soon, his feet were off the floor, and the scenery was changing. Taran bowed his head, and silently said goodbye to his comrade as the world changed again. Taran opened his eyes slowly, bracing himself for the unexpected.
He opened his eyes on a forest filled with tall trees of every kind. The lush vegetation revealed in the warm sunlight, and swayed in the gentle breeze. Taran took in another deep breath, and inhaled the spicy scent of pine. Immediately, he felt his body relax, and he craned his head about, in search of what he was to see. He heard a voice, high up in the trees,
"Oh, poor Gurgi has just hurt his poor, tender head on that silly tree." Taran's heart skipped a beat when he recognized the voice's owner… Gurgi! It truly was Gurgi, his faithful companion on many years passed. Although somewhat better kempt, he was still the same shaggy Gurgi. Taran beamed with joy at seeing his old friend.
Gurgi was leaping from tree to tree in complete happiness, and Taran ran along the ground, trying to keep up with the flying figure. Finally, after what seemed like ages, Gurgi stopped and sat perched up high in the treetops. Taran, slowly but surely, made his way up the tree, and came to sit by Gurgi's side, unnoticed. Gurgi sighed with pleasure, and leaned back against a bough.
"All things are good today. No sighings or dyings, no pinings or whinings… oh, maybe small pining." he admitted to himself. "Pining for kind Master, and for red-haired Princess, all behind in the other place." Gurgi whimpered softly to himself,
"Gurgi misses his master and princess greatly. Gurgi protected kind master, and he protected Gurgi. All was good, even when all around was bad. But now, kind Master is far, far away, and Gurgi shall never see him again." he said sadly, his face downcast. Little did he know that he was on the verge of moving his own former master to tears. Gurgi looked up suddenly, with a look on his face wiser than Taran had ever seen in all their years together.
"But even with pinings for his master and the chattering princess, Gurgi knows all we be good for everyone, even for gruff dwarf down in the caverns. Kindly master will make the other land better, and red-headed princess will keep him on his feet." he said, laughing loudly at this thought. It was obvious to Taran that his friend was changing into a wiser creature.
"Maybe all the years we spent fighting and flighting, we were not ready for the big truth. Even though his poor tender head still hurts, Gurgi thinks that the real destiny is now, whether in the place of sun and fun, or in the land of fighting. And kindly master will be okay." he said decidedly.
That did it for the young king. Tears crept silently down his face as he whispered,
"All shall be well."
As if it were a miracle, Gurgi looked up just then and straight into the tear streaked face of Taran. If he actually saw him, Taran would never find out, for the scene began to whirl.
Faster and faster the scenes whirled, until Taran's head spun with confusion. The words and scenery spun around and around… and all the sudden, it ceased to exist.
Taran opened his eyes, and he was back in bed with his arms wrapped around Eilonwy. He took in a few quick breaths, trying to regulate his heartbeat, and wiped his brow.
"It was but a simple dream" he said to himself, trying to convince his inner conscious that it had only been that. But instinct was telling him otherwise. Finally, exhausted, he buried his face in Eilonwy's hair, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
Disclaimer: These are not my characters… these are not my characters… these are not my characters…I think you got the message.
Summary: In Prydain, Taran has a dream in which he is allowed to glimpse upon those who left for the Summer Country.
*** Okay, people. This is my first piece of fanfic for this site, and I know that it isn't that great… in fact, it is pure fluff… but could you review it anyway???" ***
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Night had fallen upon the land of Prydain. Thousands of jewel-like stars were twinkling brilliantly in the peaceful darkness. The moon hung high in the sky like a lantern, casting pale light on the young man sitting by the castle window. His white tunic, hanging nearly to his knees, was loose and untied, and his leggings were a soft brown. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the window pane. Suddenly, the door opened and slammed against the wall with a hard smack! The young man jumped up from his window seat, startled.
In the doorway stood a young woman, a couple of years younger than he. Her red-gold hair hung in waves to her waist, and a pair of mesmerizing blue eyes stood out on her delicate face. From the young woman's neck hung the silver emblem of a crescent moon. She wore no footwear, and was dressed in a simple white nightgown to fell past her feet. The young woman placed her hands upon her hips, and gave the man an irritated glance.
"Taran of Caer Dallben, do you not know the meaning of chivalry? I was in the sitting room preparing for bed, and I was talking to you, and when I turned around, you weren't there!"
she cried. Taran gave her a sheepish glance.
"I thought you had finished your thoughts." he said defensively. The young woman sighed and rolled her pretty eyes.
"Then perhaps you should mind what is going on. A king, and a husband, must be patient and attentive, Taran of Caer Dallben." she said with a slight sniff of pretend hurt. Taran sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Quit mocking me, Eilonwy! And stop calling me, 'Taran of Caer Dallben'! I can never be that again!" he cried in uneven tones. He turned away from her, and again rested his head against the window. Eilonwy instantly felt bad about her trivial remarks, and approached him softly.
"I miss them too, you know." she said softly, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. Taran looked down at his wife, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. He quickly wiped at his eyes in shame.
"They never stray from my thoughts for long. I can picture them as clearly as though we had last met yesterday. I can see us all at Caer Dallben… Fflewdurr, clutching the remnants of his harp. Good old Doli, as touchy as ever..." he said with an affectionate laugh in his voice. "… I can still see Glew and Gurgi, Taliesin, Dallben, and Gwydion himself. Oh, how I miss all of them." he said, his voice filled with yearning for times past. Eilonwy folded her hands and placed them behind her back. Casting her eyes to the ground, she implored,
"Do you regret the choice you made then, Taran?" Taran sought the face of his wife, and gently tilted her chin up with his fingers.
"Not for a second. Prydain is my home, and it is I who must take care of it. And do not think I doubt my feelings for you, for I love you more than I think you sometimes are aware of." he said softly. Eilonwy blushed softly, and said,
"I know more than you think, dear husband. I miss them sorely too, and sometimes, I even fancy that we are all still together…" her voice trailed off, and she closed her eyes. The two stood there together for a long moment, remembering companions of times not so long ago. "…We still have each other." she ventured softly. Taran smiled, and kissed her upon her forehead.
"And for that I am eternally grateful. Come, let us sleep." he said. Eilonwy crossed her arms.
"What gave you the idea you could tell me what to do?" she said indignantly. Taran smiled at her with amusement.
"Fine, if you rather wish to go glimpse into a mirror and chatter to yourself, by all means go ahead. But I shall be very lonesome here without you." he said, pointing to the large bed, swathed in blue linens. Eilonwy sighed mockingly.
"If you must insist upon it, High King of Prydain." she said. Taran grinned at his wife, and walked about the room, blowing out the candles that had dimly lit it moments before. He climbed into the large, comfortable bed, and felt Eilonwy slip in beside him a few moments later. Turning over on side, his wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and buried his face into her neck. Eilonwy placed her hands on his arms, and sighed contentedly. Moments later, she was asleep, her breathing even and peaceful. Taran kissed her cheek softly, and looked again at the large moon hanging in the window. Just as he was on the brink of unconsciousness, he whispered,
"What I would not give to see them… one last time…"
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It seemed as though he had only closed his eyes for a moment, but when his eyes opened again, he was no longer in bed with Eilonwy, although he still wore his loose white tunic. Instead, he was in a land unlike anything he had ever seen before.
The golden sun felt warm upon his skin, and the sky was a perfect azure blue with fluffy white clouds. The hills and valleys were covered in lush green grass, and surrounding by thriving trees and plants of every kind imaginable. The animals walked and grazed in peace among the flourishing plant wildlife. Taran inhaled the deep perfume of the flowers, and sighed with pleasure. Then he looked down, and gasped with shock. His feet weren't touching the ground!
He was floating, a few feet off the ground. Taran's heart leapt into his throat, beating frantically with awe and fear. He looked about, spinning his head from side to side.
"Where am I?" he cried out despairingly.
Just then, the beautiful scene began to fade from his sight. His chest tightened with anxiety once again, as the scene suddenly changed. Now he was looking in on a small cabin, in a clearing in the woods. He could see two figures outside the cabin. Taran peered closely, trying to find out their identities. He did not have to wait long, for soon enough the two figures emerged from the cabin and out into the clearing. For the second time, Taran gasped as he recognized the two figures… Dallben and Gwydion!
"Gwydion! Dallben! Is it truly you?" he cried, rushing to the side of his former master and friend. But, to his heart's anguish, they did not acknowledge him once. In fact, it was almost as if they could not see him at all. That is when Taran made yet another startling revelation.
"They cannot see me, they cannot hear me. I do not exist to them." he realized. His heart sunk further than he ever thought it possible, and grief nearly overcame him. What kind of cruel twist was it that separated him from his companions, he wondered. To his right, Dallben was speaking to Gwydion.
"My friend, I feel as if two hundred years have been taken off my life." he was saying. And he looked it as well. Many of the wrinkles that had been embedded into the old man's withered skin had disappeared, and he walked with the dexterity of a much younger man than he. Even his eyes seemed brighter. Gwydion, as well, looked healthier, although he still appeared wolf-like. Taran still had a hard time believing that all this was actually occurring. He drifted towards the ground, and sat hard upon the earth, dumbstruck, and watched his friends as they walked slowly in the clearing.
"And you look it too. The Summer County agrees well with you, old friend." remarked Gwydion kindly to his counterpart. Dallben smiled wryly.
"That it does, but a piece of my heart lingers elsewhere." he said. Gwydion glanced sharply at the older man.
"What troubles you." he asked.
"My thoughts are with the boy and the former Princess of Llyr." he said simply, his voice showing hints of affection. Gwydion nodded his shaggy head sympathetically.
"As are mine. I think of them often." he admitted quietly. "It is not my wish that our young friend is kept from his fate, for Prydain shall thrive in his hands. But I cannot help sometimes but to think him here with us." Dallben glanced at the taller man shrewdly.
"While it is wise that you mind your feelings, they betray too much of your heart. The boy, as much as I have come to care for him, is where he always belonged, and it would be errant to think him elsewhere." he told the man firmly. Gwydion furrowed his brow slightly, a look that would seem predatory if they did not know the face.
"Yet you say they remain in your thoughts. Where does your feelings truly lay, old friend?" asked Gwydion. Dallben turned and stood still, almost pensive. He then faced his long time friend again.
"I cannot say I do not miss them, for my heart is fond of them both. I only desire to know if they are happy and content together." he said in low tones. At this comment, Taran's heart ached with unspoken feelings. Gwydion grinned, a look not entirely natural on his usually grim face.
"I daresay that our red-haired princess is driving the boy witless with her chattering, and he in turn is vexing her. But, such is the way of things. And I am sure, that in spite of how much they tire each other, they only care for each other more. I do not doubt their happiness together." he said simply, his voice lighter than Taran had ever heard it. "And I daresay that he and Eilonwy wonder about us sometimes." Dallben nodded his head.
"If there were someway to tell them that all is well, then I would do it. But I have lost all my powers, and if even if there was a way to reach them, I do not know it. I can only hope that they shall be as content as we now are." Dallben spoke, his voice clear and untarnished. Gwydion stared off, and unknowingly came to rest upon Taran's unseen face. The young king felt his heart quicken.
"Perhaps they are, old friend. Perhaps they are." he said softly. Taran sighed deeply, and gazed into the older man's face.
"If only you knew." he whispered intensely.
Suddenly, just like before, the scene began to blur in front of his very eyes. Taran struggled toward them only to realize that he was suspended in the atmosphere again.
"No! No! Do not take me away!" he cried out. But it was in vain, for as sudden as Gwydion and Dallben had faded from his view, another scene replaced it. Now, he was away from the cabin in the clearing, and now inside a lofty home by a shining blue lake. Taran stared about in wonder, and scrubbed his face with his fingers.
"I must be in the Summer Country." he remarked in a tone full of emotion. He glanced around hurriedly to see what might meet his eyes. To his joy, over in a corner of the cabin, were the great bard Taliesin and his spiky yellow haired comrade… Flewdurr Fflam. Taran was so enthralled he nearly cried out, only to remember that it did him no credit. He simply stared at the two figures as his feet slowly lowered to the ground. Flewdurr held a harp in his hands, though it was not nearly so beloved as the one that once forced him to tell the truth. At that moment, Taliesin was saying,
"Not so, son of Godo. Play upon the harp as you would play upon your feelings. Play with true emotion." Fflewdurr set the harp down hastily in his frustration, and replied somewhat crossly,
"Great Belin, a Fflam may be patient, but even patience has its limitations! Maybe if the old pot weren't so bent out of proportion…" his voice trailed off, and he quickly looked over his shoulder. Facing Taliesin abashedly he said, "Ah, well, what I meant to say is… that I am rather distracted right now and I am having a hard time concentrating at the moment." Taliesin looked at the yellow haired man with an infinitely serene look.
"What is it that troubles you? Surely, nothing more can be desired in such a place as this." he implored.
"How about a talkative princess and a headstrong lad with a mind of his own?" he responded sarcastically. Taliesin nodded compassionately.
"So it is lost comrades that you yearn for." he stated simply. Fflewdurr gazed at his superior with a look that could not be read.
"To say the very least, I do. There is not a week that goes by that I do not think of them, and I long greatly for their company. But, a Fflam is not weak hearted!" he cried, sticking his head proudly into the air. Taliesin looked on with an amused air.
"It is nothing to be ashamed of, Fflewdurr Fflam, Son of Godo. You cannot help who you care for." Fflewdurr crossed his arms indignantly.
"I wish I didn't care so much about them…" His thoughts and voice were once again interrupted as he glanced over his shoulder. His sighed deeply and said, "To be honest, I am afraid not to think of them. I fear I shall forget about them someday."
"You shall not forget those whom you love, not even in our eternal lifetime, for those who lie close to the heart are not soon forgotten." replied Taliesin wisely. Fflewdurr peered into the other man's face beseechingly.
"And you're sure of that?"
"You doubt my judgment, Son of Godo?" asked Taliesin.
"Great Belin, I only wanted to be sure!" Fflewdurr cried, throwing his hands up into the air. Taliesin laughed out loud, and said,
"Mayhap you pour some of that into your music. Take what you feel… for instance, your longing for Taran and Eilonwy… and make that the essence of your song." Fflewdurr glanced at him sharply, clearly thinking him witless, and picked up the harp once more. Slowly, his fingers touched the strings, and out came one of the most beautiful sounds Taran had ever heard.
The melody was beautiful and haunting, wrapping itself around Taran's heart and floating on the air like a summer breeze. The song itself sang sweetly of times long past, and times that would never be again. Taran closed his eyes slowly, and took in the striking music with deep shaking breaths. As rapidly as the music had begun, it abruptly ended. Taran slowly opened his eyes, and watched as Fflewdurr set down the harp once again, and looked once again to the great bard. Taliesin smiled at him slowly.
"You are getting the feel of it, Son of Godo." he murmured.
Taran looked on with elation as the two bards smiled at each other. And all too soon, his feet were off the floor, and the scenery was changing. Taran bowed his head, and silently said goodbye to his comrade as the world changed again. Taran opened his eyes slowly, bracing himself for the unexpected.
He opened his eyes on a forest filled with tall trees of every kind. The lush vegetation revealed in the warm sunlight, and swayed in the gentle breeze. Taran took in another deep breath, and inhaled the spicy scent of pine. Immediately, he felt his body relax, and he craned his head about, in search of what he was to see. He heard a voice, high up in the trees,
"Oh, poor Gurgi has just hurt his poor, tender head on that silly tree." Taran's heart skipped a beat when he recognized the voice's owner… Gurgi! It truly was Gurgi, his faithful companion on many years passed. Although somewhat better kempt, he was still the same shaggy Gurgi. Taran beamed with joy at seeing his old friend.
Gurgi was leaping from tree to tree in complete happiness, and Taran ran along the ground, trying to keep up with the flying figure. Finally, after what seemed like ages, Gurgi stopped and sat perched up high in the treetops. Taran, slowly but surely, made his way up the tree, and came to sit by Gurgi's side, unnoticed. Gurgi sighed with pleasure, and leaned back against a bough.
"All things are good today. No sighings or dyings, no pinings or whinings… oh, maybe small pining." he admitted to himself. "Pining for kind Master, and for red-haired Princess, all behind in the other place." Gurgi whimpered softly to himself,
"Gurgi misses his master and princess greatly. Gurgi protected kind master, and he protected Gurgi. All was good, even when all around was bad. But now, kind Master is far, far away, and Gurgi shall never see him again." he said sadly, his face downcast. Little did he know that he was on the verge of moving his own former master to tears. Gurgi looked up suddenly, with a look on his face wiser than Taran had ever seen in all their years together.
"But even with pinings for his master and the chattering princess, Gurgi knows all we be good for everyone, even for gruff dwarf down in the caverns. Kindly master will make the other land better, and red-headed princess will keep him on his feet." he said, laughing loudly at this thought. It was obvious to Taran that his friend was changing into a wiser creature.
"Maybe all the years we spent fighting and flighting, we were not ready for the big truth. Even though his poor tender head still hurts, Gurgi thinks that the real destiny is now, whether in the place of sun and fun, or in the land of fighting. And kindly master will be okay." he said decidedly.
That did it for the young king. Tears crept silently down his face as he whispered,
"All shall be well."
As if it were a miracle, Gurgi looked up just then and straight into the tear streaked face of Taran. If he actually saw him, Taran would never find out, for the scene began to whirl.
Faster and faster the scenes whirled, until Taran's head spun with confusion. The words and scenery spun around and around… and all the sudden, it ceased to exist.
Taran opened his eyes, and he was back in bed with his arms wrapped around Eilonwy. He took in a few quick breaths, trying to regulate his heartbeat, and wiped his brow.
"It was but a simple dream" he said to himself, trying to convince his inner conscious that it had only been that. But instinct was telling him otherwise. Finally, exhausted, he buried his face in Eilonwy's hair, and fell into a dreamless sleep.