Disclaimer: All characters and plot elements from The Dark Is Rising sequence belong to Susan Cooper. The rest is mine.
3. Bran
"Where are we? It seems vaguely familiar," said Jane, looking around at the hills and green fields.
"Wales. Near my Uncle David's farm."
"What? How could we possibly…" but she stopped and sighed, realising the question was pointless. "Look Will, I'm not going anywhere else until you tell me what's going on and why we're here."
"OK, OK. It's a simple thing really, but I need your help. When I first came here a few years ago, my quest was to find the golden harp and wake The Sleepers by the Pleasant Lake. But as soon as the task was accomplished, the harp was thrown into the lake by someone controlled by the Dark. The rulers of the High Magic now require it to be returned to them. Because of the enchantments surrounding the harp to keep it safe, it must be retrieved by two together – an Old One and an ordinary human. It was The Lady's request that you should help me."
"The Lady" said Jane softly, a picture forming in her head of the beautiful, fragile figure she had seen just twice before. It was difficult to hold the dream-like image in her mind, but she could see clearly the bright blue eyes and the dazzling glow of the rose-coloured ring she wore. "Do you see her often?"
"Very little now," said Will, wishing it were more frequent. "The Masters of the High Magic dwell in a peaceful land and have few reasons to leave that realm. But I have seen Merriman, and The Lady came with him last time to speak about you." He remembered that last reunion warmly.
Jane looked thoughtfully at him. "Will, I've been wondering about something else, something from before. I remember saying goodbye to Gumerry for the last time and he made us forget everything, but I'm sure you were with us. So why didn't I remember you when I saw you yesterday?"
"Ah…well…after your Great Uncle had gone away, he asked me to keep a check on you and your brothers. Nothing intrusive, just making sure you were all OK for a while. But I found you were all having nightmares, especially Barney, about the things that you'd been through. Merriman thought it best that I put a deeper block on your memories, which meant forgetting about me as well. All you would remember were some nice holidays in Cornwall and Wales but not who you met there."
Jane struggled to recall events from that time. "Whatever you did, it really worked."
"Memory spells are very powerful and not easily broken. That's why you got such a shock yesterday and why things are still so confused for you. I tried to do it gently, but there really was no other way."
She still looked very uncertain, but didn't say anything else.
Will smiled and said, "Don't worry too much about it, Jane. Come on, we've got to get up to the lake."
They went down the hill a little way, to a gate which led on to the road. From there the way sloped gently upwards and they could see it winding ahead to the top of the ridge.
"The lake's on the other side of this hill," said Will. "Not far now."
As they walked on, they could hear the roar of an engine in the distance and suddenly saw a van coming down the road in front of them.
"It's Mr Davies, Bran's Dad," said Will. "Please, just follow my lead."
The car slowed as it approached them and came to a stop. A man in his forties leaned out of the window.
"Well, I do believe it's Will Stanton. Come to visit us again?"
"Yes," said Will brightly, despite the intense concentration of his mind to turn Owen Davies's attention away from any awkward questions. "But we're not staying, just passing through really. This is my friend Jane Drew. How's Bran?"
"Oh, he's fine, though he gets restless. I don't think he enjoys life here like he used to. It's too quiet, no excitement for him. He'll be glad to see you, I'm sure. He's out with John Rowlands just now, but I'll tell him you're here as soon as they get back."
"I don't know if we'll have time to see him" said Will apologetically, "you see Jane's got to get back to her parents."
"Have you come far?" Mr Davies asked Jane.
"Er, yes, quite a long way" she said. "And my mother will worry if I'm late," she added.
"Well, there's a shame," said Mr Davies. "Anyway, I must be getting on now. Nice to see you again Will. Goodbye." He drove off down the road.
As Will turned to continue up the hill, he caught a sense of confusion from Jane's mind. He looked at her, puzzled.
"What's the matter?"
"Will, who is Bran? I just can't…somehow… picture him at all."
Will laughed. "He's the one who gave you the stone. Just touch the ring and you'll see."
With a slightly sceptical look, she touched the cool stone held captive by the gold of the ring. In the same instant the image of the pale boy came back into her mind and it was like opening a curtain on a dark room - she suddenly knew again everything she had previously learnt about Bran. He was the Pendragon, the son and heir of Arthur, but after the final battle against the Dark, he had given it all up to return to this time and live a mortal life.
They walked on in silence up the road, Jane pondering her memories and Will planning what to do next.
At last they reached the lake, surrounded by hills on all sides. Jane was struck by the vastness of it all – the towering hills, the fathomless depths of the lake. She felt for a moment totally caught up in the wild beauty of the place.
'No wonder The Sleepers chose this place to rest' she thought.
"Yes" sighed Will, as if replying to her. Jane turned to stare at him, but he hadn't seemed to notice anything wrong and was gazing pensively out over the shifting, shimmering waters.
They went down the track from the road to the edge of the lake and walked along a little way. The hills rose above them, exuding a sense of power all their own.
"OK," said Will "this will do. Now I'm going to draw a circle of concealment around us, so no-one can see what we're doing. As long as we're inside, there'll be no problem."
He pointed the index finger of his right hand at the ground and walked round in a circle with himself and Jane inside. When it was complete, Jane noticed a shimmering around them, like a heat haze. She didn't feel frightened, but curiosity and excitement were mounting within her. They both faced the lake, Will moving behind Jane.
"Now when I hold out my hand, you must stretch out your right arm as well, and place your hand over mine, the one with the ring on. When I've said the words of command we must keep our hands outstretched together until the harp comes to us."
Jane could feel Will close to her, as he pointed his five fingers towards the lake. She rested her hand on his and felt a buzz of energy as they touched. She wasn't sure if it came from Will or the ring, or perhaps both.
"Relax Jane" whispered Will, "just look to the lake, it won't take long."
Jane took a deep breath and let it out. She looked into the grey-blue rippling water. At her back she heard Will begin to chant quietly in a strange language and her hand tingled slightly. She felt privileged to be part of this magic and wanted to savour every moment. The chanting grew louder till it seemed to fill her head and her whole arm was buzzing. Suddenly another voice cut through the sounds and into her mind.
"Will! Jane!"
Will instantly stopped, dropped his hand and spun round to see who was coming. It was Bran.
"Say nothing about why we're here" Will hissed urgently to Jane. She could see a look of shock and confusion on Will's face.
As Bran came hurtling down the path towards them, Will struggled to regain his composure. His mind was racing, trying to understand what had gone wrong and how Bran could have seen them.
"Will," panted Bran as he reached them, "I'm so glad I didn't miss you. We met Dad on the road. He said you were here but couldn't stay long, so I came straight after you. How are you then? What are you doing here? Did you see something on the lake?"
"What?" said Will.
"You were pointing at something out on the lake. Was it a bird?"
"I don't know, we couldn't really see it," said Will, as truthfully as he could. "Anyway Bran, how are you?"
Will, recovering from the shock, now had all his senses as an Old One alert, but he could read nothing from Bran's mind, which was not what he had expected. Unwittingly, his expression betrayed his feelings and Bran asked:
"Are you alright, Will? You looked very puzzled."
"Er…yes, I'm fine. I was just wondering…can we go down to your cottage for a sandwich Bran? It's nearly lunchtime and we forgot to bring anything to eat."
Bran looked at him strangely. "Yes, I suppose it's alright."
"But Will," said Jane "Shouldn't we be getting back?"
"It's OK, we've got time" said Will. But suddenly in Jane's head she also heard Will say 'Something's not right. I've got to find out what's going on with Bran.'
"Well Jenny, now it's your turn to look puzzled," said Bran wryly. "Have I interrupted something?" They both stared at Bran who laughed. "You two were standing very close just now."
"Oh, no, I see what you mean," said Will now laughing too. "No, we're just sight-seeing. Come on, let's head back to your place."
They were hot and thirsty by the time they reached the cottage. They all went into the kitchen, but it was different to how Will remembered it. There were floral curtains at the window, blue and white china arranged on the dresser and a general air of neatness that seemed odd in an all-male household.
Bran was getting out bread and plates. "Is ham and cheese OK? There's some lemonade in that cupboard by you Jane."
"Is your Dad coming back for lunch?" asked Will.
"No, he's off up to the top fields to check the sheep. And Megan will be at work until four."
"Who's Megan?" asked Jane.
"My step-mother. Didn't you know, Dad got married last year. She's really nice and I'm glad Dad's got someone at last. Won't be so bad when I go." Bran finished making the sandwiches and put the plate on the table.
"Where are you going?" asked Jane.
"Well I don't know yet, but I just want to get out of this place." He sat down and took a bite from his sandwich. "School is pretty bad, I still get teased a lot and I can't say I've got any close friends. Sometimes I just feel I don't belong. But it's so good to see you two. You know I've had some funny dreams lately Will – you and me sort of going on weird adventures."
Will, eating a sandwich, looked at Jane. Without speaking, she heard him say into her mind 'Let him see the ring.'
Jane's eyes widened, but she remained composed. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she could feel the excitement welling in her, like before with the Grail and the Greenwitch. She reached over to offer the plate to Bran, deliberately showing the ring on her index finger.
"Another sandwich Bran?"
"Thanks" said Bran. Then: "Hey Jenny, where did you get that ring. That stone, it's…it's just like the one I see in my dream." He was staring at her.
"I gave her the ring," said Will. "It was my stone, brought back from another land…What happens in your dreams?" His voice had the serious resonance not of a boy but of the Old One that he was.
Bran's eyes moved from Jane to Will with a look of incomprehension.
"Well, it's…I don't know how to describe it. It's like we're fighting a battle. There's someone in black chasing us on a horse. And a sort of glowing sword. And a tall man with white hair. And…and my father." He stopped.
"Your father?" asked Will carefully.
"Well, not my Da, not Owen Davies. He told me what happened – that he's not my real father and how my mother left me here as a baby. But in my dreams I see a man and it just feels like he's my father. Sometimes he's saying goodbye and other times he's beckoning to me, smiling and asking me to come. I know it sounds a bit mad, but sometimes it's only my dreams that keep me going."
Bran got up from the table and turned away, looking out of the window.
"I want to find my father. I don't know who he is, but it's like I've already met him somewhere – for real, not in a dream."
Will tried again to look into Bran's mind but could still sense nothing. Then suddenly he heard Jane asking silently:
'What's going on Will?'
He turned his head slowly towards her with a quizzical look.
'You can read my mind, can't you' Jane thought.
Will nodded.
'But you can't read Bran's.'
He shook his head. Into her mind he said 'I have to go and speak to Merriman, I'll only be gone a minute. Just wait here.'
'No Will!'
'I must, this is serious.'
"Can I use your bathroom, Bran?" he asked getting up.
"Yes, upstairs on the left" said Bran.
Will went out the room. They heard the stairs creaking and a door open. Bran moved to sit at the table, then remembering something, he dashed upstairs after Will.
"Don't use the hot tap, Will," he called. "The boiler's on the blink and the system's drained down…Will? Will?"
Jane heard him moving about then he came back downstairs and into the kitchen, a look of disbelief on his face.
"He's gone! He's not in the bathroom or the bedrooms. He's not anywhere!"