Aedon awoke lying in his bed inside Connemara. The light streaming in through the windows told him that the sun had already climbed high into the sky.
“What am I still doing in bed at this hour?”
He said out loud as he moved too quickly to set up.
The blinding pain which met the effort sent his head crashing back to the pillow, as his hands reached up to his throbbing forehead.
He found that there were bandages wrapped tightly around his head, and upon reaching down to touch his side, discovered more bound tightly around his rib cage.
“What in the bloody hell happened to me?” he yelled.
Hearing the latch of the door release, he turned and watched as his brother Llyr came quickly into the room, a look of concern and at the same time relief on his face.
“Ah good Aed, you are back among the livin'. We thought for a bit ye might be off te meet yur maker. Now, if yell be softening yur voice a wee bit, I will try te answer yur needs.”
Looking up at the older Durreah, Aedon knew that no amount of shouting would get him the answers he sought. Llyrwech had a stubborn streak a mile wide, and became quite the father figure when Aedon was flat on his back. Using what strength remained, he calmed himself and looked back to his brother.
“Llyr, what happened to me?”
“I don't rightly know.”
“ What?, why you thick headed mule of an arse. I am going to wring your neck”
Sitting up again far too quickly Aedon forgot the last attempt at this as he reached out to grab his brothers shirt. Taking one step back, he grinned down at Aedon knowing he was now out of reach.
“Aedon, lie back again before ye harm yurself worse. I came home from town and found ye lying against the stairs o” the Rest. The pond Aed, what happened?”
Slowly lowering his head back to the pillow, Aedon strained in thought.
“The Pond, yes, something did happen there.”
Looking at Llyrwech with sudden alarm he asked.
"James, Rotep, Clive. Are they alright? Did you find them as well?”
“No Aedon, I found ye alone, wer there others then? I can send out John to see if he can find any signs o' them.”
'Aye, there were the four of us there, I recall. I was...The wards of the pond, we had moved the crystal and I forgot. They were not properly reset.”
Eyes widening he struggled to sit up again.
“The crystal Llyr, she was here, Ix Tab. She came to the pond as I was relaying the wards. She was different then in the past. An anger dripped from her and seemed to consume the land. She..I think I was knocked to the ground. I tried Llyr, I got back to the pond and the spell was working. And then I recall a great upheaval, and searing pain. And I awoke here.”
His eyes misting over with realization of what had happened he motioned his brother to come closer.
“Help me up Llyr, I have to warn the others. Have to find help. She took it, I am sure of this as I am sure of anything. Ix Tab has the crystal, and for my folly in seeing that the wards were secure great harm will befall others.”
Placing his hands on Aedon's shoulders, Llyr attempted to urge him to lie back down. His attempts to calm his brother were met with the force of will he had come to know, and he knew that nothing he could say or do would keep Aedon at rest any longer.
Helping him to slowly sit up, Llyr went to the closet to fetch some clothing for Aedon. He then went to the door and called down for food and drink to be brought up.
“On this, I'll take no backtalk. Ye need te strengthen yur body for what's ahead.”
Watching as his younger brother pulled on his boots Llyr softened his voice a bit more saying.
“Aedon, ye must be strong when ye see the Glade. And try te believe, this is nae yur fault. Yur speaking o' a daemon here, not a mere man that can be defeated with steel.”
When the tray arrived, Aedon drank a bit of tea and some toast. Then pushing the rest aside he looked to his brother.
“Help me outside llyr. I need to see what my arrogance has wrought.”
They made their way slowly down the inside staircase, and then, opening the doors, Llyr took Aedon out into the glade.
“What am I still doing in bed at this hour?”
He said out loud as he moved too quickly to set up.
The blinding pain which met the effort sent his head crashing back to the pillow, as his hands reached up to his throbbing forehead.
He found that there were bandages wrapped tightly around his head, and upon reaching down to touch his side, discovered more bound tightly around his rib cage.
“What in the bloody hell happened to me?” he yelled.
Hearing the latch of the door release, he turned and watched as his brother Llyr came quickly into the room, a look of concern and at the same time relief on his face.
“Ah good Aed, you are back among the livin'. We thought for a bit ye might be off te meet yur maker. Now, if yell be softening yur voice a wee bit, I will try te answer yur needs.”
Looking up at the older Durreah, Aedon knew that no amount of shouting would get him the answers he sought. Llyrwech had a stubborn streak a mile wide, and became quite the father figure when Aedon was flat on his back. Using what strength remained, he calmed himself and looked back to his brother.
“Llyr, what happened to me?”
“I don't rightly know.”
“ What?, why you thick headed mule of an arse. I am going to wring your neck”
Sitting up again far too quickly Aedon forgot the last attempt at this as he reached out to grab his brothers shirt. Taking one step back, he grinned down at Aedon knowing he was now out of reach.
“Aedon, lie back again before ye harm yurself worse. I came home from town and found ye lying against the stairs o” the Rest. The pond Aed, what happened?”
Slowly lowering his head back to the pillow, Aedon strained in thought.
“The Pond, yes, something did happen there.”
Looking at Llyrwech with sudden alarm he asked.
"James, Rotep, Clive. Are they alright? Did you find them as well?”
“No Aedon, I found ye alone, wer there others then? I can send out John to see if he can find any signs o' them.”
'Aye, there were the four of us there, I recall. I was...The wards of the pond, we had moved the crystal and I forgot. They were not properly reset.”
Eyes widening he struggled to sit up again.
“The crystal Llyr, she was here, Ix Tab. She came to the pond as I was relaying the wards. She was different then in the past. An anger dripped from her and seemed to consume the land. She..I think I was knocked to the ground. I tried Llyr, I got back to the pond and the spell was working. And then I recall a great upheaval, and searing pain. And I awoke here.”
His eyes misting over with realization of what had happened he motioned his brother to come closer.
“Help me up Llyr, I have to warn the others. Have to find help. She took it, I am sure of this as I am sure of anything. Ix Tab has the crystal, and for my folly in seeing that the wards were secure great harm will befall others.”
Placing his hands on Aedon's shoulders, Llyr attempted to urge him to lie back down. His attempts to calm his brother were met with the force of will he had come to know, and he knew that nothing he could say or do would keep Aedon at rest any longer.
Helping him to slowly sit up, Llyr went to the closet to fetch some clothing for Aedon. He then went to the door and called down for food and drink to be brought up.
“On this, I'll take no backtalk. Ye need te strengthen yur body for what's ahead.”
Watching as his younger brother pulled on his boots Llyr softened his voice a bit more saying.
“Aedon, ye must be strong when ye see the Glade. And try te believe, this is nae yur fault. Yur speaking o' a daemon here, not a mere man that can be defeated with steel.”
When the tray arrived, Aedon drank a bit of tea and some toast. Then pushing the rest aside he looked to his brother.
“Help me outside llyr. I need to see what my arrogance has wrought.”
They made their way slowly down the inside staircase, and then, opening the doors, Llyr took Aedon out into the glade.