Disclaimer: All characters and plot elements from The Dark is Rising sequence belong to Susan Cooper. The rest is mine.
A/N: I'm currently re-writing part of Chapter 11, so if it's not up by Sunday, it won't be up until the middle of next week, as I'll be away a few days. Thanks for sticking with me and a big THANK YOU for all your wonderful reviews. Every single one is appreciated.
10. The Sword
As the grand painted doors opened, they saw before them a large circular room, lit with candles. Around the white walls were carved wooden chairs, with one larger, more ornate chair like a throne directly opposite them on a small platform. The chairs were occupied by the lords and ladies of the Court, all in cloaks of various shades of blue, except for the chair on the platform which was empty. Above each chair was a sword, some shining unsheathed, others in scabbards of exquisitely decorated leather.
Will looked around and recognised Merriman, The Lady and some of the other faces. He heard Jane gasp as she too saw her Great Uncle. There were no smiles of welcome or even acknowledgement, just cold impassive stares.
As they took all this in, one lord stood up.
"My name is Wittan. In the king's absence I will act as his majesty's deputy and have authority in this place. I invite you to cross the threshold of the Court." His commanding voice echoed beneath the high vaulted ceiling.
With some trepidation, they stepped together through the doorway. There was a blinding flash of white light as they passed into the inner sanctum of the High Magic. The next instant it was gone, but Will suddenly felt something was wrong and looked to his left. Jane was caught frozen in time.
"The mortal Jane Drew cannot be admitted to this place," announced Wittan.
"Why not, my lord?" asked Bran. "She has the Lightning Stone for a talisman, as have I."
"She has violated the conditions set by the High Law and gave you assistance in completing the first challenge."
"What did she do?" Bran looked at him and then at Will.
Will's face was a picture of defeat. The thing he'd feared back at the lake had come true. "She told you we had come to get the harp. That was part of the answer to the first challenge."
"But, my lord, she didn't mean to give me any help. She didn't even know what the challenge would be."
"What will happen to her?" asked Will.
"She will go back to the mortal world. She cannot take part in matters of High Magic again. She will remember nothing."
Will felt like someone had kicked him. He looked at Jane, standing staring straight ahead, her long blonde hair falling loosely across her shoulders. "She so wanted to remember," he said softly. Bran saw the longing look on his friend's round face. His owl-like eyes narrowed thoughtfully for a second then he turned to the Court.
"Is there any way that she can be allowed to stay?"
There was silence for a few moments and no-one moved. Will looked up, sensing something was happening, but his mind was blocked from hearing their wordless deliberations.
Then Wittan said, "The Court agrees; if she can complete the first part of this challenge on her own, she can remain here."
Bran seemed to be considering the idea.
"Bran, no!" exclaimed Will. "You can't ask her to do that. If she fails, that's the end for you." He was filled with dread. Bran had all his old self-confidence back, but maybe he was becoming over-confident.
"May I be permitted, my lord, to know what the next challenge is?" Bran asked.
"The second challenge is to prove your birthright by claiming Eirias and presenting it before us."
Bran looked around. As soon as they had entered the Court, he had seen his sword hanging on the wall above the throne, sheathed in its white scabbard. There were many other swords hanging up, but surely even Jane could manage this.
"The challenge seems simple enough," he said.
"For the Pendragon, the challenge is simple."
"Bran, be careful!" warned Will urgently. "Please don't risk it."
Bran said quietly, "Do you really want to lose her forever, Old One?"
Will stared open-mouthed at Bran, completely taken aback. Why did Bran assume to know his feelings for Jane when he hadn't even admitted them to himself?
Merriman spoke, his face deadly serious. "Think carefully of the consequences before you do this Bran."
But Bran was determined. With a fleeting look of defiance at Merriman, he faced the Court and said, "I ask that Jane Drew carries out the first part of the challenge"
"So be it," said Wittan.
Will felt Jane's release from limbo with relief, but could hardly believe what Bran had just done. Unaware of what was happening, Jane looked around bewildered by all the faces staring at her.
"Jane Drew, come forward please," said Wittan.
"What's going on? Will? I don't understand."
With a strained look Will said, "I'm sorry Jane, Bran has passed the challenge on to you to stop you being sent back. You have to do it or Bran will be…"
Jane looked stunned at Bran, but he returned her gaze with a look of trust and confidence. He seemed so different, she thought, so self-assured, completely comfortable with who he was. He gave her a smile and a nod.
"Please step forward, Jane Drew," repeated Wittan.
"Yes, my lord," she said falteringly.
She moved into the centre of the room, her legs trembling. Will stood on her right and Bran on her left.
"Your task is to find Eirias for Bran," said Wittan.
"Find Eirias" she muttered to herself. 'Who's Eirias? Will, help me!' She glanced at him but he shook his head powerlessly; in the presence of the High Magic he could do nothing to assist.
Jane shut her eyes, nervously fiddling with the ring. She felt the smooth, cool texture of the stone and the thoughts in her head began to clear. Suddenly she saw Bran on a beach holding up a glowing crystal sword.
"The sword!" she whispered to herself, opening her eyes. She looked around – there were dozens of swords on the walls, some shining, some sheathed, but no crystal ones. There were different coloured leather scabbards and jewelled hilts of all kinds, but which one could it be? She felt a wave of despair – she'd never paid much attention to the hilt of Bran's sword. She tried to think about the scabbard instead and touched the stone again. Now she could see Bran handing over sword and sheath to his father – the scabbard was white! Again her eyes scoured the walls and again her heart sank as she found no white scabbards at all.
Will had been unable to hold back and was reading her thoughts all the time. It was achingly hard for him to listen and not be able to help. Then, as she looked desperately around again, he realised with a jolt that she couldn't see the sword; mortal eyes could see neither Eirias nor its scabbard when it was sheathed. He looked at Bran, eyes wide. Bran's mouth opened as he also suddenly realised the problem.
Will glanced at Merriman hoping for some help, but unnervingly found Merriman staring intently back at him.
Will sensed the panic rising within Jane as she searched in vain for the unseen sword. She turned her head towards him, her worried expression stabbing at his stomach. She closed her eyes again. This time as she touched the ring, she thought once more of Bran on the beach. He had shown them the sword, they had seen it glittering in the sunshine. Then what? Slowly the sequence re-played in her head. Then…he had sheathed it…and it had vanished!
Will saw and felt her realisation and allowed himself the smallest of smiles.
'OK,' she thought, 'I can't see it, so where would it be? Bran is a prince, son of a king, so it must be in a prominent place.'
She looked up at the King's throne – it was the only chair without a sword above it. She moved forward and stepped onto the platform, reaching up above the throne, feeling around the blank wall. She noticed the ring was making her finger tingle and moved her hand a little higher. Something was there, soft yet solid. Using both hands now, she felt along the object she hoped was Bran's sword until she came to the ends of it, then lifted it up and off the wall. Her right hand was tingling a lot as she carried the sword over to Bran; it felt very strange to be holding this invisible object that everyone else could see.
As she looked up, both Bran and Will were beaming at her. "I knew you could do it," said Bran. Will's relieved smile made her stomach leap.
Jane glanced at Merriman and thought she noticed the corner of his mouth twitch in a suppressed smile. Wittan stood up again, but there was no emotion on his face.
"Now you must prove your claim to the title Pendragon," said Wittan. "Present the sword before us."
Bran took the sword from Jane and fastened the belt around his waist, allowing the scabbard to hang at his side. Without a moment's hesitation, Bran drew the crystal sword with his right hand and in one graceful movement swung it upright in front of his face. He touched his lips to the flat of the blade, then stretched his right arm out high as if holding a flaming torch. Instantly the room was filled with a blazing light so dazzling that Jane and Will had to shield their eyes. As the golden core of the crystal sword glowed white, Bran felt a new power flow through him, so strong he seemed to tremble all over. The High Magic had come to full strength within him.
He lowered the sword down to his side and the glowing faded to a shimmer. Wittan, Merriman and all the people of the Court stood up and bowed their heads in a moment of deference.
"We acknowledge you as the Pendragon and welcome you in the name of the High Law" said Wittan solemnly.
"Thank you, my lord," answered Bran graciously. He sheathed the sword and the members of the Court sat back down.
The power emanating from Bran was almost tangible to Will as his friend grinned broadly at him. Bran turned to Jane and gave her a hug. "Thanks Jenny" he said.
"Thank you for trusting me," she replied. Over Bran's shoulder she saw Will watching them with a strange expression that was a mixture of relief, happiness and…something else…
Will dropped his gaze and busied himself with picking at a thread on the sleeve of his jacket. A nervous confusion swam around inside him, but a movement to his right suddenly distracted his thoughts as Merriman stepped forwards into the middle of the room.