Chapter 13
They were standing in a semi circle with the cameraman recording the conversation.
"We may need an archaeological survey before we can proceed because of the age of some of these buildings. Given that this is a listed building, a survey is inevitable." Tom was saying as we eased into the circlet.
He glanced at Tommy and asked, "What do you think so far?"
Tommy cleared his throat, "Wot I've seen so far is in better shape than I expected, given its age. Thankfully, wot ivy there is isn't too badly entrenched. I was afraid th' ivy would've eaten inta th' walls pretty deeply by now."
Tom glanced at me and I commented,"Once we've cleared away the growth, we'll get a better idea of what we're up against. These old buildings likely had dirt floors at one time. An archaeologist could tell us where it was."
The documentarian zeroed in on me and asked,"I can't help noticing your accent, what brings you here, if I might ask?"
"Since you've already asked...I live here now in Brecon. I inherited the old Newton farm and I moved here from California. And no, you won't be hearing me say 'Dude'!" I replied.
He chuckled and remarked,"That will be an interesting story, your living in that famous old house. Must be quite the contrast from what you're used to."
"You could say that!" I replied with a grin.
Turning to Harry he asked,"What're your thoughts on this project?"
Harry shrugged slightly and said,"I've been a building inspector for twenty two years here in Wales and I've seen my share of decrepit houses. The main house will be fairly easy, what I've seen looks to be in pretty fair condition."
He pointed at the house Tommy and I had inspected, "That one'll be a bit more challenging at first glance, but the walls are fairly sound and once they're repaired, adding the rest'll be fairly straight forward.
The Pendragons were beaming at our remarks and Morgan said cheerfully, "It will be lovely to see these houses all repaired and being lived in again. This old farm could make a lovely artists colony that could partially sustain itself."
We all nodded in agreement with her remarks.
The remainder of the morning was spent poking about taking photos, measurements and lots of notes.
At lunch I called Janice Llewellyn and talked to her about getting a team of archaeologists to do a survey of the farm and lands.
She saw no reason why the park archaeologists couldn't be utilized as the farm was well within the area closest to the park and it was historically significant due to its age.
She would talk to her boss and see what she thought.
We ended up spending the next three weeks helping the archaeologists go over the farm and lands with a ground penetrating radar set.
The GPR revealed a number of hidden structures, including the remnants of a rude stone wall that once encircled the farmhouse and had several smaller circular structures inside it. Dwellings apparently.
The wall and circular structures had been quarried for the stones that went into many of the newer structures still standing, and even those had subsequently been quarried for the main house still occupied by the Pendragons.
Several iron age artifacts and burials were located and marked on the map being developed for the property.
At the wishes of the Pendragons, who had no desire to disturb the graves of their remote ancestors, the burials were to be left in place while the artifacts were excavated and given to the Welsh National Museum.
Tommy in the meantime, took advantage of a longish first weekend and returned home via train to fetch his lady and their belongings.
He showed up Monday evening with a large caravan stuffed full of his belongings and one pregnant young Hellhound hidden amongst his things.
The caravan was parked alongside my smaller barn where they could stay until the project was completed.
Of course that arrangement was soon changed at Branwen's insistence, to one where they moved into one of the better sheds and made themselves at home.
Janice got quite giddy upon meeting a second Hellhound and nearly swooned when she heard about a third Hellhound, this one a grandmother still living in the west of England.
When the survey was completed, it was decided to begin the project with a proper ceremony.
The couple, Arthur and Morgan Pendragon, asked the Gwyddonod to hold the ceremony at the next new moon when the night would be darkest and the faerie lights their brightest.
When I asked why, I was told,"Since your arrival, the faerie lights have shone more brightly. Before, only the sighted could barely see them. Now, it is hoped that the sightless will finally see them."
The afternoon of the ceremony saw several vans full of people converging on the Pendragon's farm.
They parked along both sides of the narrow road leading to the ancient farm, preferring to walk rather than bring more iron and steel onto the farm itself.
I parked my truck behind Tom's van and smiled at Branwen, then I glanced back at the Adkins', Tommy and Anna looked nervous, it was their first time together at a social gathering, even if it was a pagan one.
Tommy smiled slightly and remarked,"I'm English, will I be welcome at a Welsh witch ceremony?"
"I don't see why not?" I replied,"You're with someone out of legend as am I, and I'm an American!"
Branwen smiled at the younger couple and said, "They'll be delighted to see you both, it'll be fun!"
Tom's van doors opened and the passengers piled out.
Tom's wife, Ann was dressed in her priestly garb with a woolen cloak covering her outfit.
Ann's sister Beatrice and her husband James, carried Ann's priestly accouterments, her incense censer and the other items she would be using.
Another couple stepped but I couldn't recall their names, though I did see them at our wedding.
Lastly, Janice Llewellyn got out, her baby bump becoming more prominent in contrast to her slight build.
Branwen's own baby bump was not so prominent, partly due to her more robust build.
We exited our truck and the others took a moment to greet myself and Branwen, who looked wonderful in all her Hellhound glory.
I introduced Tommy and Anna to the rest of the Gwyddonod and their reaction was one of surprise and delight at the presence of another Hellhound in the flesh.
I grinned at Tommy and said,"I told you so, Anna's a creature out of myth and legend, of course she's welcome here."
He grinned back and remarked,"Wait'll they see Angella, I invited her, you know. Not sure if she'll make it, but I extended it anyway!"
I laughed and retorted, "Wales will never recover!"
Ann was cheerfully counting heads and checking to see if everyone had brought the items needed for the ceremony.
I noted several small, three legged iron pots and bundles of dried herbs and twigs being carried by members of the group.
We were preparing to converge on the farm house when a nondescript blue Ford van pulled up and stopped.
The driver's side door opened and a robust, middle aged man called out, "Is this the Pendragon's farm?"
Tom replied, "Yes, it is and you are?"
The man grinned and said, "Thank goodness! It's so easy to get lost in these parts...Name's Thornton, Roger Thornton and I've brought my lady, Angella!"
Roger hopped out of his van and quickly opened the passenger side door, where a nightmarish vision stepped out.
Angella smiled at everyone and said cheerfully, "Hello everybody, I hope I'm not too late!"
"Mom!" cried Anna and she swept herself into her mother's arms.
Janice Llewellyn grinned and Ann beamed.
A third Hellhound had arrived.
Ann surged towards the mature Hellhound and said, "My name is Ann Jones, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Angella!"
Angella's marvelous eyes flared in merriment and she replied gaily, "It is a pleasure to meet you too. My son-in-law has told me of what you are trying to do here in Wales and right under the English queen's royal nose!"
Tom had joined in and he said cheerfully, "Why else do you think the English had to put up over 600 castles to keep us in line!"
He shook hands with Roger and Angella, "Name's Jones, Tom Jones, Ann's my better half!"
Tom smiled at the sight of Angella's swelling abdomen and remarked,"It seems that we have yet another baby on the way. Hopefully, we can have at least a couple of the houses fixed up and livable again."
He grinned, "This old farm'll get pretty lively with three little ones scampering about!"
Angella smiled and remarked, "Roger and I will keep having children for as long as we are able."
She smiled at her lover and said wistfully, "I wish I had kept better track of you after you had fathered Anna, we could've had more children by now. If only you could've worked from home..."
Roger smiled at his monstrous companion, slipped one great arm around her thickening waist and replied,"Remember dear? You met me while I was out walking off a heavy meal, you pounced on me and ravished me for hours. Then you were gone, leaving me lying half naked in the snow, wondering what had happened just then."
Roger smiled, "The next time I saw you was only last year after I had retired and came back home again. We met in those same woods and it was just like last time, only we were both a little older, a bit thicker and certainly grayer, at least in my case!"
Angellas marvelous eyes flared briefly and she purred, "And still the best I've ever had!"
Angella smiled, "I first met Roger just like he said when he was alone in the woods after his Christmas dinner, he was hear my den and he was this big, beautiful, bear of a man and I couldn't resist pouncing on him. When I realized he had impregnated me and I went looking for him, he'd gone overseas. I raised Anna by myself, but stayed near in hopes I would see him again."
She smiled and said wistfully,
"Last year I saw him again and like me, he'd gone a bit thick around his middle and a touch of frost was on his hair and beard. I didn't pounce at first, I merely stood up so he could see me. He smiled at me and said, "So you weren't a dream after all."
Angella snuggled against Roger's massive form and murmured, "Our reunion was wonderful and eventually led to this."
She caressed her swelling tummy with one great clawed, hand.
Roger grinned and said cheerfully, "I'm widowed, retired and living with my adult daughter from my late wife. I never thought I would see Angella again after that night and for the longest time, wondered if it had really happened, meeting her like I did."
Ann cleared her throat and said, "You'll have to excuse me, I have a ceremony to conduct. I will be talking to you all later."
With that she scurried off with her husband in tow, leaving us to follow along behind.
The rest of the celebrants were already in place and Ann was smoothing her priestly garb as she took her place at the front of the group.
Smiling at everyone, she said apologetically, "Sorry about my tardiness, we had a very special late arrival and I simply had to pay my respects!"
She gestured towards us and everyone turned to see Roger and Angella standing alongside Tommy and Anna.
There was a collective murmuring of pleasantries and salutations with one wag commenting, "Welp, I guess the crown'll be adding a few more castles to keep an eye on us!"
A few chuckles were heard and Ann remarked, "Let us hope not, shall we begin?"
The rest of the ceremony was conducted in Welsh, of which I knew only a few words and simple phrases, to my embarrassment.
Not surprisingly, Branwen understood all of it, after all, was she not a Welsh Hellhound?
Interestingly, during the ceremony, I had the oddest sensation that somehow Queen Mab and Old Mary were watching over us from afar, as if they could see through the barrier between the worlds.
A barrier that during Samhain, came down and we could expect to see visitors on our door step.
I made a note to find out more about what they did for Hallowe'en or Samhain, here in Pagan Wales, as I wanted to make a good impression on Albion's true queen.
The 'official' ceremony had ended but the gathering lingered on, for rarely did so many of the Gwyddonod meet in one place.
While the Church no longer persecuted followers of the old faith, the memories of past persecutions and witch trials lingered and the descendants of the survivors remained cautious.
Preferring not to draw attention to themselves, the Gwyddonod remained in the shadows, unlike the modern Wiccans and those claiming to be Druids.
Ann Jones had related to me recently that her family has lived in the Brecknock region since 'time immemorial', being among the earliest Britons to settle in the area and live alongside the remnants of the y Tylwyth Teg before they finally retreated under the hollow hills.
As the afternoon became evening and the sky darkened, a faint glimmering of tiny lights could be seen almost out of the corner of my eyes.
Morgan Pendragon became quite ecstatic as it grew darker and the tiny lights became more apparent, even to me.
Many of them seemed to float above the Iron age gravesites that had been discovered, while others traced the outline of the long gone, stone wall that once enclosed the original dwelling and out buildings.
Morgan smiled and clapped her hands in her joy at seeing the faery lights winking in and out of existence, she almost wept in her joy as she said to me,"I have not seen these since I was a small child. My grandmother had told me about them and told me that those with the 'sight' could see them with ease.
"She also told me that when a descendant of the ancient Cymru kings was present even the 'unsighted' would be able to see them."
She smiled and murmured,"Tonight we have two descendants of the royal line with us. You...And Janice Llewellyn. The faery lights are the proof of your lineage for all of us to see."
While I had to admit the 'faery lights' looked more like fireflies to me, I remained open minded about it, I had seen too many unusual things since moving to Wales to remain a skeptic.
I made a mental note to look up fireflies and where they occurred.
That night, Roger and Angella stayed with us or rather, they stayed in Tommy's caravan parked near the barn where our apartment was.
I myself went into town and picked up four large pizzas and a case of Newcastle's brown ale to wash it down.
Seeing two other couples like ourselves was most unusual and we acquainted ourselves with Roger mostly.
He was a retired oil field mechanic and had worked on oil derricks from the North sea to the Arabian peninsula and Indonesia.
This explained his powerful hands, arms and shoulders.
Wrestling with some of the tools he worked with must've been quite the workout!
Roger himself was quite fond of Angella and his daughter Anna, saying, "My other girl never married or showed much interest in men in general. Anna here will be giving me my first grandchild, and I can't wait to meet her!"
We shared a chuckle over that as all three of the hell hounds present were indeed, pregnant.
It was simply a matter of when each baby arrived, not if.
The next morning Roger and Angella bid us adieu as he had to get back home to take care of some things.
Before he left he embraced his daughter and held her closely, the young hell hound smiled and returned his embrace as he murmured in her ear.
When they separated the look on Roger's face said it all, he loved her dearly.
Anna and her mother embraced briefly and soon, Roger's nondescript blue Ford van was making its way back to England.