(no subject)

[theravenboy]

[The day after this...]

On the way home from a special prayer meeting in Dolgellau, Bran is practicing his driving. Owen observes from the passenger seat as Bran guides the Land Rover through careful turns.

Comments

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

They are moving down an empty road, campgrounds to their right, a small farm to their left and Cader Idris looming over all, when Owen says, "I went to your Milliways last night."

[theravenboy]

Bran adjusts the steering wheel. "Did you meet anyone?"

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Owen scans the road automatically.

"I saw your mother. She looked well. Turn before the lake; we'll go by the Ty-Bont farm."

[theravenboy]

Bran brakes to let a bicycle pass. If he glances at his da, the quick flicker of his eyes is hidden behind his dark glasses.

"Good," he says. "That's good."

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Absently, watching Bran signal and turn right onto the lake road, Owen adds, "We saw Blodwen Rowlands, too -- careful, do not jerk the car like that."

[theravenboy]

"I am sorry," Bran says, hands tensed on the wheel. "What did Mrs Rowlands say?"

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

"Loosen your hands, and we will not move so much around the lane."

Owen is half-turned towards the window. Tal y Llyn glimmers below the road, but Owen is not really looking at it.

"A strange thing it was, actually. Blodwen called her -- your mother -- Guinevere, as if she knew -- and Gwen did not seem to recognize her at all, not from when she was here."

[theravenboy]

Tightly, "Did she say anything else?"

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Grimacing in faint concern, Owen says, "She asked after you and John. I think she has been idle too long, poor woman, with nothing to do but knit. She made a lovely shawl that she gave to Gwen -- Iesu Crist, boy, what has gotten into you? Slow down, bachgen."

[theravenboy]

In fact, Bran has just changed gears and slammed on the accelerator pedal. The old Land Rover is hardly a fast car, but it's now going as rapidly as it can, perhaps eighty kilometres per hour. Bran, jaw set, drives the car precisely down the center of the lane.

"Did my mother take the shawl?" Bran speaks clearly, but rather too quickly. "Did she put it on?"

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

"Yes, she put it on. I wish you would slow down. It is not safe, and with petrol so expensive --"

[theravenboy]

The timbre of Bran's voice, not loud, but cold and resonant with power, stops Owen mid-sentence.

"You stood by and let my mother take a gift that Blodwen Rowlands made."

Bran turns down a country road at full speed. The Land Rover rattles.

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Owen is beginning to be frightened. "Yes, I did. What did I -- What is wrong, Bran?"

[theravenboy]

Bran pulls up before the cottage and stops with a squeal of brakes.

"There is no Blodwen Rowlands. There never was one."

He pushes open the unlocked door and runs upstairs at once.

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Owen walks inside more slowly, knees unsteady. He stands beneath the staircase, calling, "Bran, I do not understand."

[theravenboy]

Bran comes to the top of the staircase, carrying the harp. He has removed his sunglasses; his eyes, revealed, are the inscrutable eyes of the owl. Bran speaks matter-of-factly, though, in a voice that is almost normal.

"Blodwen Rowlands is only a shape used by the White Rider, a great lord of the Dark."

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Weakly, "I will not have you telling such fairy stories about a good woman."

[theravenboy]

Bran continues speaking as if he has not heard Owen at all.

"She stayed here to spy on me as I grew up. When the Light and its allies defeated the Dark, we cast the being who called herself Blodwen Rowlands out of Time forever. You will remember, that is when it seemed that she died."

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Owen jerks his head back in a quick, abrupt movement.

[theravenboy]

Bran continues.

"The White Rider, or Blodwen Rowlands as we may call her, is imprisoned at Milliways. You might say that it is her damnation. She cannot be saved, she cannot be redeemed and she cannot change, although there is enough human in her to regret this. You cannot trust any word she says. Any gift she offers could be enchanted, and God only knows what it could do -- and my mother has had a gift from Blodwen Rowlands in her possession since yesterday night."

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Owen has been listening, lines marked sharply into his face, and slumping further and further under the weight of each calm, damning detail. He believes.

"The sweater I brought once. Was it --"

[theravenboy]

Bran's laugh is short and harsh.

"No, there was nothing in that. I could tell, you see. Mother can't."

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

"Maybe the shawl was just a gift..."

Owen lets the question die out, abashed by the cold glitter in Bran's eyes.

[theravenboy]

Bran does not dignify Owen's suggestion with an answer. He pulls the harp to him and begins to play an oddly familiar series of high notes.

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

"Wait!"

Owen holds up a hand.

"Take me with you?"

[theravenboy]

"No." Bran plays without pausing.

[owendavies.livejournal.com]

Owen turns away, face crumpling, and by the time he turns back

[theravenboy]

Bran is gone.