A Samurai Jack Fanfic
By Laura McDaniel
Arvel
Before he entered the forest, Jack thought that he should look around to make sure there weren't any Carthwyrs following him. The one he'd just killed had apparently been separated from the rest of his horde and Jack had the nagging feeling that it had been watching the entire time, just waiting to spring. But the somber syrinx music seemed to beckon him forward, so he pushed his way past a few tree branches without any further thought.
It was difficult for him to see where he was going because the early morning sunlight barely penetrated the forest's thick canopy. As he walked, his robe got caught on branches a few times, but it didn't matter. The music would not let him go. It led him forward, like the song of the Sirens, and all he could do was continue to walk alongside the river as it noisily ran its course through the trees.
Eventually, he reached a point where the trees became farther apart, but several large bushes blocked his path. The music seemed to let go of him, so he stopped walking, but the song still echoed around him, telling a story of great loss, isolation, and sorrow. Jack finally peered over the bush to find that the musician looked exactly like the kind of person Jack was looking for.
Sitting on a large, gray rock in the clearing was a young man who appeared to be about eighteen years of age. As he played his soulful song, he idly dangled one of his feet in the river. He had long, brown hair that was slightly unkempt. Both the dark green, long-sleeved tunic top and matching breeches that he wore showed signs of repeated mending. In front of him was a large stump on which a stack of papers as well as a pen and inkwell sat. Jack had little doubt that he was looking at Arvel, but he decided to remain silent until the song was over.
Once the music ceased, Jack instinctively let out a disappointed sigh. However, not quite certain if he wanted to be seen yet, he quickly covered his mouth and ducked behind the foliage in front of him.
The boy was so startled that his syrinx slipped out of his grasp. "Who-who-who goes there?" he stuttered. In a louder voice, he asked, "Gwyddno? Is that you? Have you come to visit me at last?"
Jack sighed heavily. Apparently, Arvel had never received word that Gwyddno was dead. He stood up to his full height and shook his head. "No, I am not Gwyddno," he sighed, "but I bring news of him."
"News? Are you some kind of messenger, then?"
Jack pushed his way through the bushes and stood in front of Arvel. Now the young bard's eyes were open, he noticed that they were dark green. Upon closer inspection, he also noticed that Arvel's face was strangely clean-shaven, and judging by the numerous cuts and scratches on it, he assumed that it was because he'd brought a razor in the small buckskin bag he was sitting next to. "I suppose I am a messenger in a way. The people of this time call me 'Jack,' and I..."
Arvel quickly interrupted Jack by reciting part of one of the ballad's he'd heard, "Samurai Jack, the warrior from the past, has come to save us all at last!" He grinned brightly. "Are you the one in that ballad?"
Jack smiled slightly and nodded.
Arvel's eyes widened. "Then where are my manners? You are like a legend to me!" He pushed his supplies off the stump and gestured for Jack to sit down. "Please, be seated!"
"There really is no need to treat me differently than anyone else. I am a humble man." All the same, he sat down on the stump. "And you are Arvel of Gobaith, correct?"
Arvel sighed. "My name is Arvel, but I have not been 'of Gobaith' for a while now. I was exiled for..." He bit his lip and shook his head, "I'd rather not say for I am too ashamed."
"It is all right."
"No...it really isn't, but please, tell me this news about Gwyddno."
Jack looked somewhat apprehensive. He wasn't quite sure how to tell Arvel what had happened in Gobaith since his exile. Somberly, he sat on the stump and softly replied, "Arvel...it would seem that Gwyddno...has passed away."
"WHAT?" Arvel stood up in total shock. "When? How?" He put his head in his hands and looked like he was about to sit down on the rock again, but he tripped over it instead, and fell forward, towards Jack.
Jack managed to catch him and carefully helped him sit on the rock. The boy's eyes were now overflowing with tears and he was sobbing uncontrollably. Jack tried to comfort him by gently putting an arm around him. Once Arvel had quieted down, somewhat, Jack explained, "It sounds like it happened shortly after your exile. While I was in the infirmary, having some injuries treated, Rhan and Heulwen seemed to agree that Gwyddno died because he missed you so much."
"Heulwen? In the infirmary?" Arvel gasped. "What? What is she in there for? Is something wrong? Tell me!"
"Heulwen is fine! She just works in the infirmary now, helping Rhan with her patients. In fact," he said, reaching into his bag and taking out the scarf, "Heulwen asked me to give this to you." He set the scarf on Arvel's lap. Arvel was speechless, so Jack continued, "She told me to tell you that she misses you greatly and that she loves you."
Despite the fact that tears were still flowing down his face, Arvel chuckled slightly. "She did?"
"Yes."
"I always knew it! She used to sit and listen to me while I practiced. She always seemed very shy, though. We did talk, yes, but never for very long. I assumed she was afraid of me, because of my, well, clumsiness...which I know you noticed."
"When she spoke to me, that certainly did not seem to be the case. Did you have feelings for her as well, Arvel?"
Arvel blushed brightly. "Please, I do not feel like answering that, sir." He ran the scarf through his fingers and sighed. "I would like to see her again, that's for certain. But it is impossible now that I am exiled. Gwyddno occasionally left the Kingdom to collect songs and such, so he promised me that he'd look for me the next time he left. I don't think Heulwen would do that, though..."
"Well, there is a chance that you might see her again. You are needed back at Gobaith."
Arvel scowled. "Needed? No, they certainly don't need me there. I know they're probably suddenly eager to have me back because it would be nice to actually have a young Resident Bard for a change, but I'm telling you, if they want a replacement for Gwyddno, they're going to have to find somebody else!"
"You are not needed as a bard but to be The Keeper of the Song. Clobyn has awakened."
"He...has?" Arvel gasped. It looked as though he was about to slip off the rock, but he managed to keep his balance. Calming himself, he shook his head. "No. I'm not going back there. They can just find somebody to kill the monster."
"Numerous warriors have been sent to Gobaith to fight the monster, and all have failed." Jack said. "Even I was unable to defeat him, thus I promised Rhan I would find you and bring you back."
"I'm sorry, Jack," Arvel sighed, the tears once more coming to his eyes, "but I just don't think I can." He wiped his face on Heulwen's scarf.
"Why not?"
"It's just that I've only seen Clobyn once, when I was but a very small boy. I watched Gwyddno play the song on his lyre, and I was completely amazed when the monster finally went to sleep. The old man smiled and took me in his arms. 'The next time Clobyn awakes, Arvel,' he said, 'we will play his lullaby together.'" Arvel started sobbing again, "Together! And now we can't! Gwyddno was like a father to me! He was a very private man, but for whatever reason, I brought joy to his life, even though I brought sorrow to everyone else's. And now he is gone...because of my absence, because of my disagreeable feet! There is no way I can go back now, not even if Clobyn is awake."
"Not even for Heulwen?"
Arvel shook his head and looked at the scarf. "Not even for her." He sighed, "Oh, if only I hadn't have brought the sheet music with me, somebody else could perform the song, and it would be over with!"
"But you did bring the music with you!" Jack exclaimed. "Therefore, you must return to Gobaith!"
"I cannot!" Arvel yelled. "Now be gone! Leave me to my music and my poetry! Tell the residents of Gobaith that you found me, but I was dead!"
Though Jack was irritated by Arvel's reaction, he remained calm. He sat in a lotus position on top of the stump. "No. I am not leaving. I will not leave until you agree to come with me."
"Very well," Arvel scoffed, "if that is the way you want it, then fine. Stay here, wasting your time with me. I do not mind." He retrieved a mandolin from behind a nearby bush and began to play another somber song. As he played, he glanced up a few times to see if Jack had left, and every time, he was surprised to see that he hadn't.
