Disclaimer: All characters and plot elements from The Dark is Rising sequence belong to Susan Cooper. The rest is mine.
6. Reflections
In the week that followed, Jane spent much of her time reflecting on her newly-restored memories. Many things were still very hazy but she found that if she touched the stone on the ring her mind gradually became clearer.
She thought a lot about Will too, but she knew she mustn't let her feelings run away with her. Could there ever be anything serious between a mortal and an Old One? John Rowland's wife had been part of the Dark, but she couldn't really have ever loved him – ultimately she abandoned him for her masters. Jane tried to put the thoughts out of her head, but they kept re-surfacing.
* * *
Will spent a more anxious week. He wondered whether Bran would go and if he did, what challenges he would face. He spoke to Merriman several times, but because Will had to be involved in part of the testing, Merriman would tell him nothing.
Will's main concern was how Bran was actually going to remember things if no-one was allowed to help him. Merriman had said 'If he is true to his father, he will be given the power.'
* * *
Bran spent his week walking through the valley and the hills that had been his home all his life.
This was the place to which his mother had brought him, where she'd wanted him to be. How could he go to a place he didn't even know existed and leave this wild, raw beauty? Yet since his dog Cafall had died, he hadn't felt so much a part of it as before. Now it was like something else was calling to him, to a place buried deep within him, and he could no longer ignore that call.
On the last evening before Will returned, Bran spoke to his father.
"Da, I'm going away tomorrow."
"Mm?" said Mr Davies, looking up from his paper.
"I have to leave, Da."
His father saw the seriousness and sadness on Bran's face. He put down the paper and sighed deeply.
"So the time has come, I knew it would eventually. She left me and now you must go too."
"Da, I…"
"It's OK Bran bach, I just hope your real father loves you as much as I have."
"How do you know…?"
"I just know."
"Isn't there anything you can tell me about him?"
"It's funny, I thought I knew who he was once, but it seems so long ago, more like a dream."
There was silence for a moment.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm not really sure – Will Stanton is taking me."
"Ah, him. I wondered why he'd come last week. A lot of odd things seem to happen when he's around."
Silence again.
"When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow evening – we're meeting at the lake."
"Just promise you won't go without saying goodbye, like Gwennie did. Please Bran."
"Of course, Da, I promise."