AN: All conversations in italics are in Elvish! I swear, they really are! Those that are underlined are in Centaur!
PHOENIX and DRAGON: Through the World Gate
Chapter 9
It was a week after the naming ceremony and Gavin and Gwydion's magic reserves had finally been judged recovered enough to begin their training. Myrddin had led them to a small meadow a short ways into the sacred grove. Several slabs of rock were lying scattered on the ground, providing comfortable seats that were handy for meditation.
He was intending to see how well the boys were going to be connected to their magic, which would determine how powerful they would eventually be, but he had to teach them to reach their cores first. The elderly priest who had assisted at the interrupted solstice celebration, Gwydion had learned that his name was Drysi, was already sitting on another of the rocks when they arrived. He puffed lazily on the long stem of the carved pipe he was smoking and waved genially as they entered the clearing then went back to contemplating the clouds.
"Alright, take a seat and get comfortable." Myrddin settled cross legged on one of the slabs, but both boys chose to sit on the soft dry grass. "Close your eyes and just let your mind drift. Try not to think about anything, just listen to the wind in the trees. I want you to be totally relaxed with your mind clear of all thoughts." He concentrated a moment and focused to allow himself to see auras in order to monitor the boy's progress. This ability was called mage sight and it was a common ability among the elves. As a half-elf it took a little bit of effort for Myrddin to activate it, but in compensation he had gained several abilities from the human half of his heritage a full elf wouldn't have.
Myrddin was prepared to sit for most of the morning, and many mornings to come, while they worked on this since it was unlikely two four year olds would be able to totally clear their minds on the first attempt, in fact it was rare for a child this young to succeed on even the fourth or fifth, so he was really surprised when it only took a few minutes for both boys to reach the proper state.
The boy's chaotic aura's smoothed out and the multi colored flares and random changes in size and density that normally surrounded someone untrained disappeared, to be replaced by ones with a single color and only occasional fluctuations in the size and intensity. They were still slightly opaque, which was normal for this stage in the process. Gavin's, while still somewhat wispy around the edges, was the clear deep blue of an autumn sky, with tinges of a deeper green around the edge. Gwydion's was a green the exact shade of an oak leaf with a slightly brighter blue on the edge, the nearly the opposite of Gavin's. Most people's auras were of the red or orange spectrum, so the boy's came as a bit of a surprise to the mage.
"You are doing very well…now I want you to try and look inwards, keeping the same feeling of calm you have now. You will see a bright ball of colored light. Once you see it, I want you to touch it - don't be afraid, it is a part of your own magic, it won't hurt you."
'Well that isn't exactly true,' Myrddin thought to himself. 'If someone enters their core and panics its possible for them to be forcibly expelled, resulting in a great deal of pain as the uncontrolled magic rebounds through their undeveloped power channels.' Myrddin knew that telling someone this as they were attempting to access their core for the first time, however, was a sure way to make them tense up, making it much harder to reach their core, and sometimes causing the very effect they were trying to avoid.
He watched the boy's aura's carefully as they began to try to locate their cores, and wasn't surprised to see both flare violently as they lost focus and fell out of the meditative state. He'd been surprised they had achieved that much in the first place. To his astonishment however, they almost immediately regained their focus, and several minutes later he saw a sudden, nearly blinding, flare in both their aura's as they doubled in size for a moment then sank back to their previous levels. The random changes were completely gone, the edge much better defined and the colors almost totally transparent, meaning they had accessed their cores to the full extent possible and forged the link necessary to use active magic that required the highest levels of power and control.
'How did they do that so quickly?' Myrddin thought, surprised by what the boys had achieved so quickly, but especially Gwydion. It was doubtful he'd had any practice at all in focusing, although Gavin had mentioned Gwydion healing himself in the past.
On the other hand, Gavin had been doing small spells of the lowest level for nearly a year. He'd began teaching his grandson magic earlier than most elflings were taught because Gavin's power levels had been judged high enough to learn without damaging his development, mostly spells used for healing minor wounds and bruises. That type magic was barely considered a spell because the words were only to aid in focusing ones own natural healing abilities. It was considered passive magic as it only needed intent to work, and didn't require access to a person's core.
It was the two's power levels he was really surprised by though; most people were unable to fully access their cores, let alone on the first attempt, and never at so young an age.
'They're already at the power level of children twice their age.' Myrddin thought in surprise, but he didn't allow any of it to show on his face, just took a deep breath and ran through a quick meditative technique to clear his mind. 'Teaching them is going to be interesting.' He kept his voice soft and soothing as he explained the next step.
"Good. Now I want you to let go of the ball and slowly drift back until you can hear the wind again." The boys seemed to struggle for a moment and their aura's sparked and flared as they left the meditative state and their attention returned to the meadow.
Myrddin was amazed and proud of his grandsons. 'It will take several sessions of accessing their cores before their aura's will stabilize and remain calm, but they've made surprising progress for being so young.'
"You've done very well for your first try. That will be enough for today." He watched as the boys opened their eyes and slowly refocused on their surroundings, wide grins on their faces from his praise. "Run and play, and we'll meet here again tomorrow morning directly after breakfast." The boys immediately jumped up, running back down the path to the village, laughing and pushing each other as they went.
Drysi slowly rose from the rock he'd been sitting on and stretched for a moment to relieve a crick in his back before moving to sit beside Myrddin. "Was that their first meditation exercise?"
Myrddin nodded, deep in thought. "I think they might have done something like it on their own, since Gavin says they have had a dream connection for years and sharing one with the detail he says theirs has requires quite a bit of focus. I know it was the first time they've reached their cores; the change in their auras was clear."
"Interesting," the old priest muttered to himself. "I don't think I've seen such bright and defined auras in children so young…and for them to reach their cores on the first try…it is going to be interesting to teach them." Myrddin nodded glumly, agreeing with his friend.
"Do you think we're going to have problems later, when their power starts increasing?" Drysi asked. "I'm a bit worried that we might have to ask for someone from the other Groves to help train the boys." This was something nobody wanted, since they'd just raised such vehement objections to any outsiders being involved. Myrddin sighed and nodded again; he'd come to the same conclusion.
"If we're lucky we won't reach that point until they've reached their passage, but somehow I doubt that's going to be the case." Myrddin unfolded his legs and stood, offering Drysi a hand up, and then walked slowly towards the village with his old friend.
"I'm sure you'll be able to handle their magical training; you're the most powerful mage that I know of," the old priest said reassuringly to Myrddin, meanwhile thinking about how this would affect the training the boy's required for the rituals they had to know as priests. Normally this training didn't start until a child reached his passage year and chose his or her Way, but that clearly wasn't an issue here since the Lord and Lady had already made their choice clear to all. 'Dylluan is going to have to know about this,' Drysi thought silently. 'I just hope he's powerful enough to handle any mistakes the boys make.'
Sometime later, Dylluan was sitting in Myrddin's study, enjoying an after dinner glass of clear golden wine, a product of Oakwood's own grapes. He was watching his friend intently, knowing Myrddin had something to say and suspecting he wasn't going to like it from the mage's expression.
"Why don't you just tell me what has been bothering you all evening?"
Myrddin nodded wearily as he reached to refill his guest's glass and watched as the priest raised it to drink before beginning.
"Both the boys fully accessed their cores on their first try this morning, and they're already nearly twice the power level normal for their age," Myrddin said bluntly, catching Dylluan mid swallow and causing him to choke on the wine.
Dylluan sat silent for a while after he recovered; his expression serious as he thought about the latest development. "You're half human…what can you tell me about wizarding kinds power development? I know it's different." The priest knew little about how a wizard's powers developed, since very few humans had ever intermarried with elves and Myrddin hadn't joined Oakwood Grove until he was in his mid thirties. Since the boys were technically half human after the blood bond, he wasn't sure how it might affect their magical growth.
"An elfling's magical core will normally increase in size rapidly as they mature physically, and they grow at a faster rate than human children. Their cores will stabilize enough to start learning the more advanced spells at about 6 years old, and they normally have enough control at age 11 for them to use whatever magics their power levels allow, although their levels will continue to increase very slowly until they are considered full adults at age 16," Myrddin began, explaining what Dylluan already knew so he would understood the differences between the races. "The color and intensity of a person's aura usually indicates the overall power level and the degree of control the individual has over their magical core. This is how we determine when a child is ready for the next stage in their training."
Dylluan nodded his agreement. "Elflings learn to control their powers very early in their training, at around 4 or 5 depending on the growth of their cores, so more time can be spent on learning magic and less on refining control."
Myrddin took a sip of his wine and ran his fingers through his hair as he thought. "In contrast, although a human magic user also grows in power as he matures physically, it is at a slower rate than elflings. They are not normally capable of learning control over their magics until they are 11 or 12, which is when they normally get their magical focus - a wand usually - because their magical core is too chaotic until then. An 11 year old human's magic levels are comparable to a 7 or 8 year old elf childs, and their core usually grows by sudden flares and surges of power that cause episodes of accidental magic discharge. Unfortunately, at a time when they've barely gotten control of their magic, the human child will experience a second, usually very abrupt, growth in his magical core when he reaches the age of 17, the age a wizard born is considered adult."
Dylluan shook his head sadly. "Its no wonder they need a focus to use magic, their magical cores are in constant flux."
"Sometimes hidden abilities follow certain bloodlines, and they are normally released at that time. I gained the ability to speak to birds, something my father could do as well," Myrddin continued. "I don't know how this will affect Gavin and Gwydion, since we know so little about Gwydion's human parents."
The discussion that followed lasted long into the night, but a training plan for the boys had been decided before Dylluan left.
Gavin and Gwydion returned to the meadow with their grandfather every morning after that to meditate. By the time it had gotten too cold and rainy to be outside they had progressed past clearing their minds and accessing their cores, to organizing their thoughts and building barriers against outside intrusions. Myrddin said this technique was called occlumency by the wizards, and learning it was necessary for them to have the mental focus be able to access their cores with enough control to learn higher level magic.
They worked on occlumency and its opposite, legillimency, all through the winter and by early spring both were good enough at detecting and blocking intrusion to be safe from all but the strongest probes. Time and practice was the only thing that would make them better. Myrddin also began teaching them basic magical theory and simple magic using runes.
"I understand you've gotten pretty good with guarding your minds!" Dylluan said happily a short time before the spring solstice. "We're going to start having story time every day after you practice that, since its so rainy outside!" The twins were ecstatic, since both loved to be read to, and so daily instruction in Elven history, which included many stories and legends about the Gods and Goddesses, reading and using runes, the beginnings of arithmancy, writing practice, and more advanced magical theory was added to their lessons. They both soaked up the information like sponges, to Dylluan and Myrddin's delight.
Spring came with its warmer weather and when the trees leafed out Myrddin took them to visit the nearby centaur village in order for them to start learning the stargazer's specialties, astronomy and herbology, as well as the basics of their language. They spent the afternoons and early evenings with the centaurs and quickly made friends with the youngest members of the herd.
Summer brought additional lessons from Awel on identifying and harvesting the medicinal plants growing in the woods and meadows surrounding the village. He also started them on the basics of potion making.
Dylluan began to instruct them in their priestly duties, as time allowed.
"Yes, now you throw the herbs on the fire," Dylluan instructed Gavin, having allowed him to assist in a simple house blessing. Gwydion had helped with a purification rite the day before. It was something they took to as easily as breathing. He planned on teaching them all the simpler rituals, so by the time they were old enough to actually participate in one of the main celebrations, such as a solstice, they would know how.
By early summer they had learned the proper ways to honor the various lesser Gods and Goddesses and the nature spirits their people revered, and were able to successfully call their first nature spirits. That had been an interesting day.
"Gavin, you understand what you need to do?" Dylluan asked, making sure he remembered the invocation. It went well from there; Gavin managed to call a small earth spirit, which ended up staying for several days before it disappeared. Gwydion was not quite as lucky, the fire spirit he called took offense when he mispronounced a word and disappeared in a puff of smoke. "I guess fire just isn't your element child," Dylluan told the disconsolate child, trying not to smile. "We'll try again later."
One thing the High Priest had been surprised to discover was that the twins were in frequent contact with the Lord and Lady, mostly through their dreams. He quickly swore the children to secrecy about this as it would be dangerous for them if word of it reached anyone. Their status as avatars was already spreading, but the exact extent of their powers was better off concealed.
A Council meeting was called soon after the summer solstice to discuss the issue.
"The Lord and Lady have never before chosen anyone so young," Dylluan began, standing so he had everyone's attention. "I feel that the twins are especially vulnerable right now, at least until their year of passage, after which they'll be considered capable of making their own decisions over their lives. Until then, they are in danger if anything happened to their guardians." He gestured towards Myrddin, Etain and Llygoden. "Myrddin and Llygoden can take care of themselves mostly," he paused and looked at Llygoden, "although as you are Gavin's godfather I'd rather you stopped traveling outside our area." Llygoden had been Gleis's best friend since infancy, and he was a cousin to Gwynnid. He was the one babysitting Gavin the night they'd been killed.
He continued after Llygoden reluctantly nodded agreement, "…but I also feel Etain is at risk as long as she's at Elderwood Grove so frequently. I would like if you moved here where we can protect you."
Etain straightened, and looked like she wanted to say something, but Myrddin put a hand on her arm and she glared at him, but didn't interrupt as Dylluan continued, holding his hands up to reassure her. "At least until the boys are eleven and have some say in where they live if something happens to any of you?" The elderly seer started to protest, and Myrddin began whispering into her ear.
"The Dark is becoming stronger, and while we are normally a peaceful people, there are certain factions within the clans who aren't…," the priest paused and picked his words carefully, "…adverse… to taking things into their own hands to get what they want, shall we say." Several of the older council members frowned as they remembered things that had happened in the past.
"There have always been inter Grove rivalries, but we all know that power struggles are common during the times Shadow lays over the land, and sometimes they end up in violence." Everyone nodded in agreement. Currently there were several different factions who would gain greatly if they had control of the boys. Gavin and Gwydion would bring increased prestige and power to whichever Grove or group had them, especially if they could be influenced to act only for their benefit.
Myrddin finally told Etain flat out, "I think it would be best if you moved here to Oakwood Grove, where we can protect you better, for the boy's sakes if nothing else – they would be devastated if anything happens to you." He didn't like using emotional blackmail, but if that was what it took to keep her safe…
Etain was eventually persuaded to move, much to the twins delight.
Dylluan's foresight in having the boys conceal their closeness with the Lord and Lady was quickly rewarded. Representatives from the High Council arrived several weeks later, supposedly to negotiate a new trade agreement with the local Centaur herd and the Goblins who lived within the nearby hills, but it soon became clear to everyone that they were actually there to observe Gavin and Gwydion.
"Myrddin," Llygoden murmured softly to his friend, turning his head so nobody could see him speak. "Look towards the fountain and tell me what you see."
Myrddin turned casually and glanced in that direction for a moment. "Someone who's paying way too much attention to what the twins are doing," he answered. "How long have they been watching?"
Llygoden shook his head. "At least since they cast the glamour on each other."
"Goddess," Myrddin sighed. "There have been too many people taking an interest lately. We're going to have to start training somewhere more secure, at least until they all leave."
"I had a man from Elderwood Grove corner me yesterday," Llygoden admitted. "He wanted to know all about how the boys were doing at their forest craft. I think he is the one the forest guards spotted lurking around the outskirts of the village last night." He frowned thoughtfully. "Several other people have complained to me about similar things. I think its something we need to discuss with the Council."
The council gathered in their chamber later that same evening, and it seemed everyone had suspicions to share concerning the recent flood of visitors to the Grove.
"Hem, Hemm," Naf Ianwdd cleared his throat, trying to attract the attention of the rest of the council. "Can I have your attention?" He scowled at those still talking until they quieted. "I've found out where at least some of our problems are coming from," he said, waiting until the comments stopped. "It seems someone of importance living across the World Gate, or at least someone the High Council listens to, wrote a letter to them protesting Harry's removal from his world." He passed a copy of a letter to the councilor to his left. "I managed to get a copy of it from a friend. She didn't know who sent it because the signature was removed before the council handed out the copies, but they seem well informed about what's happening with the wizards. It has quite a bit of information about Harry," he reddened slightly and bowed towards Myrddin in apology. "I mean Gwydion, of course…and it explains how he came to be with those wretched people."
Dylluan read the letter carefully and passed it across the table to Myrddin. They now knew the boy's history, and his significance to the wizarding world, but it made no difference - the children's impetuous solution to the threat of Harry's return had solved more problems than they thought. Harry Potter was now Gwydion Emrys by blood and magic, and he was here to stay, no matter his importance to the wizards.
The weeks preceding the twins fifth birthday passed without incident and Oakwood Grove celebrated their birthday along with the solstice, something everyone enjoyed - especially Gwydion as he'd never had a party, that he could remember anyway. It went a long way towards erasing the bad memories he had of his previous life. The boys were overjoyed when Etain arrived with all her baggage and moved into an empty house directly across the path from Myrddin's.
After this, their training intensified, although the pace with which they were taught remained unknown to outside observers. Myrddin had started bringing the boys to the centaur's part of the forest immediately after breakfast, supposedly for additional herbology lessons and forest craft lessons with Llygoden, but actually to keep their magical training secret.
The High Council representatives left finally, shortly before the end of August, the trade agreements completed and their excuse for lingering gone, though Llygoden reported sightings of strangers periodically through the rest of the summer and early fall. There were frequent visitors from Ashwood and Lindenwood Groves as well, a variation from their normal routine. Oakwood Grove's trade increased, since the visitors needed an excuse to come, but nobody was fooled; it was obvious they were watching the twins.
It came to a head one day when the twins came running to Awel, after being sent to gather gurdyroot to restock the Healing Hall's potion ingredients. "Awel!" Gavin called, sounding excited. "Look what I got!" He held up a braided leather bracelet to show the healer. Gwydion held his arm up to show that he had one as well. Further questioning brought out the information that a man they'd seen in the village had talked to them for a while, and asked a lot of questions concerning their training, questions the twins had only partially answered for the most part, then had given them the bracelets.
Awel looked at them and then asked to borrow the bracelets for a while. Once the twins left, he carefully cast a detection spell on each of them. The results sent him to find Myrddin. "They both have a mild compulsion spell on them," he explained. "Something similar to a 'trust me' charm." He handed the bracelets to his friend. "Gavin says they got them from someone while they were harvesting gurdyroot."
After that, everyone made it a practice to keep the strangers away from the boys; the only place that was considered safe was in the centaur village, a place where few elves were welcomed. The centaurs discouraged uninvited visitors, sometimes at spear point.
It was the end of September and the leaves were beginning to fall. The twins were in the centaur village as they were most days. Myrddin had left to attend a Council meeting, and Llygoden would be picking the boys up after they had completed their afternoon herbology lessons, something he'd done many times before. The boys had finished their lesson early today and were enjoying a little free time with their friends, playing ball while they waited for Llygoden.
"Rytan! Throw it over here!" A gangly Centaur foal, the same age as the boys but naturally much bigger than them, yelled at his brother for hogging the ball then scrambled to catch it when the older foal deliberately threw it over his head. Newlyn stomped one front foot in frustration before turning to fetch the ball, the chestnut coat of his horse half shining red in the light of the setting sun. "Mother is going to hear about this," he grumbled to himself.
"No fair Rytan! You're supposed to play nice," Gwydion protested as Newlyn threw the ball back to his brother. The older foal had been set to watch the three younger ones, by this time the herd considered the twins part of their herd, as punishment for something he'd done earlier, and he had been behaving badly towards them all afternoon in retaliation. "If you aren't going to play fair then don't play!"
"Fine!" Rytan snorted and turning abruptly he threw the ball into the woods as hard as he could. The ball sailed a long distance through the trees and disappeared from view. "Play by yourselves!" Rytan spun on his haunches and galloped into the woods in the other direction to sulk.
"Chwith," Newlyn said with a sigh. "Sorry. I don't know why my brother's in such a bad mood." He walked to the edge of the woods and looked through the trees, hoping to see the ball. "We'd better get the ball and head back; Llygoden is going to be here soon."
The three walked slowly through the woods looking for the ball, and sooner than they expected they reached the river bank. "There it is," Gavin shouted, pointing to where the ball lay on a sandbar at the edge of the river. The only problem was that the riverbank was too steep for them to climb down; there were a number of sharp rocks at the bottom of a long drop. "Let's walk down the river bank until we can get down?"
"The sandbar isn't very long, maybe one of you can climb down here?" Newlyn stepped closer to the edge, intending to look over it for handholds.
"No! Don't go any closer!" Gwydion yelled, noticing how the dirt was crumbling under the foal's weight. The warning was too late though, as the edge gave way and Newlyn tumbled down the bank, bouncing off several protruding rocks before landing on his side at the bottom.
"Gwydion, run and get help!" Gavin urged his brother, sliding to his belly to wiggle carefully to the edge and look down at their friend. "Oh no…," he moaned when he saw no movement from the young centaur. Blood flowed much too quickly from a cut on the foal's side, and at least one of his legs was clearly broken.
"NO!" Gwydion gasped as he slid to the edge beside his brother and got his first look at the crumpled body of their friend. "It might be too late. Start a signal fire, someone will see it and come." Gavin wriggled backwards until it was safe to stand and quickly gathered a pile of dry wood from the forest floor. He used his knife to cut some branches off a green shrub, and then concentrated as he pointed two fingers towards the pile.
"Cynnau!" Gavin jumped backwards as the pile of wood burst into flame, his fire starting spell working a little better than he'd anticipated, and then quickly threw the green branches onto the fire. A great deal of smoke began rising into the air, carried slightly towards the centaur village by the breeze off the water. "Cynnwys!" Gavin shouted again, a spell meant to contain the fire and keep it from spreading into the dry woods. He turned, and gasped when he didn't see Gwydion on the bank.
"Gwydion! Where are you!"
"Down here," his brother answered faintly. "I found a way down! Go upstream a little to the dead tree; you can climb down the roots!" Gwydion answered, sounding distracted. "Hurry!"
Gavin quickly found the tree, and was soon at Newlyn's side. "He's hurt bad, I can hardly feel his pulse," Gwydion said in a shaky voice.
Gavin quickly cast a diagnostic spell Awel had taught them a few weeks ago and gasped at the results. "We have to help him, Gwydion. I don't think he's going to last until help gets here!"
Gwydion frowned, "We can call the Lord and Lady if we have to, but we'll have to be careful. Llygoden said there were people watching us again." Gavin nodded unhappily. Myrddin and Dylluan had finally explained what the people watching them wanted, and how much of a threat they were to the twins. They didn't like having to keep their skills secret, but they understood how important it was now.
"Cast an illusion and make us look like a pile of wood?" Gwydion nodded at his brother's suggestion and closed his eyes, imagining what he wanted them to look like then spoke the words of a concealment spell similar to a large area glamour, careful to keep the image in his mind as he slowly waved his hand over Gavin and Newlyn. "Celu rhag tremynt." The three figures faded from sight, to be replaced by a pile of uninteresting driftwood, similar to every other pile found along the river. He hesitated as he looked at the faint outlines of logs and sticks surrounding them, and then cast a second spell to keep any sounds they made from reaching outside of their illusion and giving them away. "Cyfrinachol!" The sound of the nearby river grew slightly muffled, so he knew the spell had worked.
Both boys set to work quickly, casting all the healing spells they knew, one right after another, hoping that spells meant for elves would work on a centaur, since they were resistant to most magics. The blood flow from the gash slowed, and the broken leg seemed to straighten slightly, but another diagnostic spell showed there was still internal bleeding caused by a broken rib that had pierced Newlyn's lung. The foals breathing was growing more labored, and finally it quit altogether.
Gwydion gasped and slumped sideways, bracing himself against Gavin's shoulder, dizzy because his magic reserves were too low from the spells he had cast so quickly. None of the spells the boys had just used were taught until a child had reached at least the age of ten or eleven years, since they required more power to cast than most had available before that; they had learned them by observing Awel in the Healing Hall. "We're loosing him! We can't do anymore by ourselves; we'll have to ask for help."
Gavin nodded then quickly closed his eyes and placed his hands on Newlyn's side, covering the large bloody gash. "Bright Lady, hear my plea! I call for your aid in healing an innocent. I ask for your aid to make his body whole, and heal his wounds that he might live without pain! Grant me the power to heal what is needed. By your grace, let it be as you wish."
Gwydion placed his hands over Gavin's, his fingers touching the sluggish flow of blood from the centaur foals side, and closed his own eyes to concentrate. "Lord Herne, hear my plea! I call for your aid for my friend. Turn your gaze aside so he might walk your path in his proper time! Lord of the Hunt grant my plea and aid me in healing him! As you wish so shall it be."
All sound seemed to disappear, and the boys opened their eyes to see nothing but mist surrounding them. Newlyn lay under their hands on a floor of stone tile, still not breathing; his heart beat merely a flutter under their hands. Gavin and Gwydion turned their heads as the sound of two sets of footsteps came to them. Two figures stepped out of the mist and stood across the centaur's body from them.
"Does this one truly deserve our aid, little one?" Herne asked sternly.
Gwydion bowed respectfully from where he knelt, not removing his hands from the foal's side because he knew that what was happening wasn't actually real. Their spirits had gone to another place, pulling the unconscious Newlyn's along with them. If they broke contact they would return to the riverbank and lose all chance of helping their friend. "Yes, my Lord. He is an innocent. His life has just begun. I ask you to spare him, if it is not his proper time."
Lord Herne looked at the centaur for a long moment then nodded. "I shall not call him to join me." The Horned Lord smiled slightly as Gwydion's face brightened with relief. "I shall aid you."
Gavin bowed then, his eyes on his Liege Lady hopefully. "Lady, I ask as well. Please heal my friend? We have done all we can, and it is not enough."
Lady Donn smiled down at Gavin. "You have done well, child. I grant you my aide; your friend will be healed." Both boys let out a breath in relief, and bowed again in thanks as darkness claimed them.
"Gavin! Gwydion! Where are you!" A frantic voice called out from somewhere above the three boys, waking Gwydion. "I don't see them, but their tracks led here," Llygoden continued, obviously speaking to a companion. "Myrddin, check upstream, I'll circle back around in case we missed something."
"Newlyn! Answer me!" A second voice Gwydion recognized as Newlyn's father bellowed out from further down the river bank.
"Here! We're here!" Gwydion called out wearily, not even attempting to sit up; he was barely able to open his eyes, let alone move from where he lay across Newlyn's flank. The little centaur mumbled something about everyone being too loud and asked them to shut up and let him sleep five more minutes.
Gavin lifted his head off Newlyn's shoulder and giggled wearily at the sleepy comment from their friend, then drifted back to sleep, too exhausted to stay awake even if their rescuers had arrived.
Gwydion realized no one could hear them because of the silencing spell, and they were still under the illusion, so he pulled enough power from his nearly empty reserves to cancel the spells he'd cast to hide them. "Dirymuswyn!"
Blackness overtook him as he lowered his head onto a warm furred surface.
AN: Here's a best guess translation for the spells the boys used.
Cynnau (ignite)
Cynnwys (contain/hold)
Celu rhag tremynt (hide from sight)
Cyfrinachol (secret/private)
Dirymuswyn (cancel/nullify charm)