Chapter five: Milgwyn arise.
Note, thanks to Alana Lee who beta'd this chapter for me.!!!!
The four strolled down the platform and boarded the train, walking along the compartments they were surprised to see it was very full, at the very end, by the driver's cab they finally found an empty compartment. They promptly dived into this, scattering their bags all over the seats and floor, claiming ownership. Barney pulled a rather squashed bar of fruit and nut from his pocket and offered it around. They all accepted, breaking of a piece and munched contentedly until Jane broke the pleasant silence,
"How did you know to come to the station? Did Merry phone you too?"
"Yeah, through Barney." Simon said, breaking off another slab of chocolate, "Tell them."
Barney chewed a bit more, then swallowed,
"He sounded quite odd, as if he was in a hurry or being chased by someone or something. He said 'Barnabas, listen carefully, there's only a little time.' Then he told me that Simon and I should leave school for the holiday instead of staying there as we planned," Aside to Will he explained, "Mum and Dad are on an art trip."
"They are." Jane agreed, "The invitation came a couple of days ago. It was one of Mum's old teachers, Miss Hatherton, who wanted who wanted to exhibit some of Mum's paintings, the pastels she did the first time we were in Tresswick. She gave me a message to pass on to you by the way Barney, she asked you to hurry up and send her one of your sketches." Barney blushed and muttered something under his breath as Jane continued, "They think I'm staying with Rachel this holiday –I'm not by the way- so they agreed to go. So here we are, heading back to Wales."
"To see Bran." Will added, they all turned to look at him, the Buckinghamshire boy had remained quiet up 'til now, sitting across the seat from Simon, "I know he'll be glad to see you all again. I've only seen him once since." Since. No one had to wonder what he meant, they all knew. Since the cutting of the mistletoe, the silver on the tree, in the heart of the old country.
"I wonder what the quest will be this time." Jane murmured to herself, but Simon's quick ears heard her quiet voice answered her with the slightly arrogant tone of an older brother, accustomed to looking after his younger siblings.
"We'll see. We'll just wait and see."
They all disembarked at Aberdyfi. As they stood on the small platform they saw a tall, weather-beaten, broad shouldered wove his way through the other people and made his way towards them.
"John!" Will waved at him.
"Aye, boy bach. You've all come back to Wales then. Not for a holiday is it now? Another great battle no doubt. Well," John sighed, he had lost a lot in the last great battle, more then any of them had, "I'll help all I can as you know." Swiftly he straightened again from a weary man, his shoulder's bowed by sorrow, into a tall, powerfully built farm hand and Shepard. "Bran's back at the house, and very eager to see you all. The three of you will be boarding with me, while your friend the dewin here will be staying up at the big house." The children piled into the jeep John had obviously borrowed from Will's uncle David and they set off towards the farm along narrow twisting country roads, sometimes little better than tracks. The three Drews sat in the back quietly, looking out the windows into the rainy gathering night. They all gasped as the car jerked to a halt suddenly, the breath torn out of them by the seatbelts they wore. John cursed savagely in Welsh, which only Will, with his talents as an Old One could understand.
"Diawl! Ystraffaldiach bleiddiau! You see that Master dewin? The milgwyn are abroad again." Will nodded and sighed.
"Yes, I was afraid they would be. That means that their master, the Grey King is awake too." The rest of the journey was spent in near silence, each mulling over what was to happen in their minds.
(By the way, the Welsh means equivalent of 'Damn! Dratted wolves!")
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