A Samurai Jack Fanfic
By Laura McDaniel
The Keeper of the Song
After returning the alien horses to their stable, Cennad stood quietly behind a chunk of the kingdom's destroyed wall, watching the battle. When he saw Jack land just in front of him, he let out a frightened yelp. He stepped away from the wall and picked up Jack's sword, which was not easy for one of such a short height. "You foul creature!" he yelled. "Some day, we will see the end of you!"
"And who is going to slay me? You?" All of the heads laughed at the dwarf.
"Spare me your mocking! Tell me, do you plan on devouring this warrior just like all the others?"
"Why not? What is so special about him?"
"He has a greater quest than this one," Cennad said, kneeling over the samurai's wounded body. "It appears he is still alive, and if he died, I would feel guilty for the part I played in his death."
"Aww, we couldn't stand to hurt the little dwarf's feelings now, could we?" one of the heads taunted. "I'll tell you what: since only a foolish man would dare face me twice, bring him into the kingdom within the hour, and I shall spare him."
The dwarf sighed gratefully. He wasn't sure if he should trust the words of a monster, but it was the only chance he had. He ran into the kingdom as fast as he could, his tiny hands still tightly gripping the hilt of the samurai's sword even though it dragged along behind him and made strange noises on the kingdom's cobblestone streets.
He burst into the kingdom's infirmary, where an old healer named Rhan was cooking soup in a large kettle over the fire and her young apprentice, Heulwen, was sweeping the floor between the two rows of beds. Startled, they turned to Cennad when he entered, but he was too tired from running to speak immediately, so he just stood there, panting. "Oh, Cennad!" Heulwen exclaimed. "Wherefore are you carrying such a large weapon?"
Rhan shook her head. "Oh, Clobyn has probably permitted us to retrieve the body of his latest challenger. Come on, Heulwen, no sense wasting any time. Help me get the stretcher."
"No, no, Rhan," Cennad weakly said. "This challenger still lives and Clobyn has permitted him to be taken back into the kingdom. I merely brought his weapon here to save you the trip and make sure that the beast could not damage it."
Rhan eyed the weapon carefully from where she stood and then hobbled over to the dwarf for a closer look. Taking it in her hands, she sighed woefully. "Heulwen, isn't this the sword of that samurai fellow?"
Heulwen nodded. "Aye, and I can tell from where I am. It's just as Gwyddno described it in that ballad."
Rhan sighed again and set the sword down on one of the empty beds. "I tried to tell King Emhyr that sending warrior after warrior after Clobyn would do nothing, and this is the evidence! If Samurai Jack was defeated, no other warrior can slay Clobyn!"
"Now, now, Rhan, I know how passionate you are about this, but this is no time to criticize His Majesty. You know how difficult things have been for him since The Keeper of the Song passed away."
"Hmph! He just won't admit that he played a part in Gwyddno's death."
"Rhan, you know that I agree with you completely," Heulwen said, leaning her broom against the wall, "but Cennad is right: we must tend to Jack first."
"Yes, of course! But that doesn't change the fact that the King is starting to seem less intelligent than a court jester!"
Rhan and Heulwen quickly picked up the stretcher from where it was leaning against the wall next to the fireplace. As they headed out the door, Cennad asked, "What shall I tell His Majesty about what happened to Samurai Jack?"
Rhan called back, "Tell him that the samurai was defeated and left the kingdom in shame. But don't worry, that isn't going to happen. I shall take care of everything. The time has come for Clobyn to die, but it's not going to happen if we leave matters in the hands of King Emhyr!"
"I hope she knows what she's doing," Cennad mumbled. "This isn't the first time I've questioned that woman's sanity!"
When Jack finally awoke, he found himself nestled snugly in one of the infirmary's beds. The pain in his head had subsided, thanks to the fact that Rhan was holding a bag of ice to it. The wound on his side had been neatly bandaged and the smell of the soup that Heulwen was stirring was heavenly. However, the memory of the battle was gradually returning to him, and he felt somewhat ashamed. The King of Gobaith had sent for him in particular, and he had failed. The monster had only defeated him because he'd been caught off guard, but with all of Clobyn's eyes, the odds that he'd be caught off guard again were great. He sighed some.
Rhan looked down at him and smiled. Then, turning to her apprentice, she called, "Ah, Heulwen! Good news! The samurai has regained consciousness!"
"Thank goodness! Does that mean I can quit stirring this blasted soup now?" Helwen asked. She shook her aching arm fervently.
"Now, now, Heulwen, if you really wish to be a healer, you've got to learn about all aspects of running an infirmary. Even the seemingly mundane tasks must be taken care of. Besides, after what happened after you stirred that last batch of soup to quickly, you've proven that it's an art you've yet to master. And secondly, what did I tell you about coming too close to the male patients?"
Heulwen rolled her eyes. "Please, will you quit saying that? The patients are not all out to get me!"
"Hmph, that's what you think!" Rhan scolded. "But I know better. I've been a healer for many years, and you've just been my apprentice for slightly over one year, Heulwen, so let me tell you: the minute a young woman like you lets her guard down, your supposedly helpless patient will strike!" Looking down at Jack, she asked, "Tell me, is Heulwen not the most beautiful creature you've ever seen? I know a seasoned warrior like yourself would like her for a prize, wouldn't you?" She smiled wryly.
Despite the pain in his side, he sat up to get a better look at Heulwen. She was indeed a beautiful girl, but Jack decided not to say anything. She wore a simple, dark blue dress that matched her eyes and there was an apron tied around her waist. She had shimmering golden hair that was neatly pinned up. Her cheeks were reddening at the old healer's words. "Look what you made him do, Rhan!" she exclaimed. "We're probably going to have to apply that bandage again!"
"So? That's just part of a healer's job!" Rhan declared. "And he still didn't answer my question!"
Jack came near blushing himself, but he managed to remain calm. "I would prefer not to think of women like that while I am on my quest to destroy Aku."
"You see that, Rhan?" Heulwen said. "He's Samurai Jack! He's got better things to do!"
Jack lay down again so as not to strain his injury. "How did you come to hear of me?" he asked.
Rhan replied, "From ballads our resident bard, Gwyddno, used to perform. As for how he came to hear of you, well, I have no idea. That's just the way with bards, you know!"
Even though Jack wasn't quite sure what to think of the bard's singing about him, there was something he wondered about that statement. "Does that mean he no longer sings about me?" Jack asked.
"Very few sing from beyond the grave, Samurai!" Rhan laughed.
"Oh…"
Heulwen sighed, "Gwyddno took ill more than a year ago and died within a month. The poor man! I couldn't stand to see him suffer like that, so I decided to start helping Heulwen in the infirmary. Too bad there was nothing to be done about it…"
"Oh, Heulwen!" Rhan exclaimed. "You just won't admit the fact that you pitied the man because you knew the true cause of his illness: It was heartbreak caused by the loss of his beloved Arvel, whom you also loved dearly."
Heulwen blushed. "Aye, you're correct. I just wish I'd had more time to tell Arvel how I felt...He was always busy with Gwyddno and then..." She sighed.
"Hmph, that's a pathetic excuse!"
Trying to make sense of the conversation, Jack asked, "Did this Arvel...die?"
Heulwen shook her head. "No. He was banished from the kingdom. You see, Arvel was a student of Gwyddno's from the time he was a small child. Arvel was known for being somewhat...clumsy. He was always tripping or breaking something. But Gyddnon said Arvel's awkward exterior only hid a poetic heart, and I believed him, too. But nobody else seemed to."
"Aye, so when there was the chance to exile Arvel, it was done. He was blamed for purposely leaving Gwyddno's cane in the floor so he'd trip over it," Rhan added. "All Gwyddno received from that was a broken leg, which would have healed up eventually, but nobody else in Gobaith could stand to see The Keeper of the Song hurt and it was just the excuse needed to exile Arvel. They just didn't realize how much doing so would damage Gwyddno -- and the rest of us."
Jack sighed. He wanted to say something to comfort the women, but his mind was wandering. "I just wish I knew what to do about Clobyn..."
"Do not trouble yourself, Samurai, there is a cure. It just doesn't lie on the tip of your sword," the old woman said. "I think you are part of the cure, yes, but not all of it. You see, we have lived with Clobyn this long thanks to The Keeper of the Song. Gwyddno was the last one to hold that position. There was a certain song that, when played, would make Clobyn sleep for ten years at a time, and by that, I mean the monster shut all of his eyes. Within the time that Clobyn slept, the wind would blow earth on his back and grass would grow on him, so he became nothing but a mere hill. After ten years, though, he'd rise again, but The Keeper of the Song knew exactly when that time would come so he'd perform the song before any damage was done. But with Gwyddno gone, King Emhyr has decided that the only thing to do is kill the monster, but nobody can!"
"I know that I will sound ignorant for asking this," Jack said, "but why do you not simply choose a new Keeper of the Song?"
"Because nobody else knows the song and no other songs work!" Heulwen replied. "Arvel is the only one that knows the song. Gwyddno died before he had the chance to teach it to somebody else, and it seems that Arvel took the song's sheet music with him." She sighed, "Of course, that's probably my fault. During the meeting that was held to sentence Arvel to banishment, I convinced King Emhyr to at least give Arvel the chance to collect some personal belongings if he wasn't going to listen to reason!"
Rhan declared, "Oh, Heulwen, don't be so hard on yourself! It's not your fault that the King is such a blockhead!"
"Rhan! You know I'm not fond of the King's decision, but I wouldn't go that far!"
"But I would! And I am far more along in years than that so-called King, so experience has taught me more things than he will ever know." Looking down at Jack again, she said, "The point is, Samurai Jack, I agree with King Emhyr in that it is time to kill Clobyn, but it was never done because none of The Keepers of the Song ever had the heart to see it done. However, you must bring Arvel back to Gobaith if you wish to kill the monster. It shouldn't be that difficult to find him. After all, he couldn't have gone far, even in a year's time. And with the lad's clumsiness, I mean it!"
"As soon as I am healed," Jack replied, "I will see what I can do."
"Thank you, kind samurai. Not only does the Kingdom need Arvel to survive," Heulwen said with a longing sigh, "but my heart longs for him as well."
"Then I hope," Jack said, "that I do not let you down."
