[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
side. It ran across the greensward without noise, and somehow this was more frightening than the sounds
of stalking that had dismayed them while they Waited for the proper hour of sunset.
There was a great rough stone upon the mound. On its upper face a sun wheel had been carved in
ancient times and where its boss should have been a deep cup was instead hollowed out in the wheel s
center. Into this, Gwalchmai poured the milk.
At that instant he felt himself seized by a pair of massive jaws, which closed about his chest and raised
him from the ground, shaking him like a rat, while the thing snarled in fury.
He heard Corenice and Flann running in toward him. He cried out, in gasping desperation, Back! Back!
For your soul s lives!
It did not stop them from coming to his rescue, but it halted them for a few steps, and in that time he
brought up the arm holding Thor s torque and laid it against the creature s cold and scaly muzzle.
He heard it sniff at the gold; then the jaws released the terrible pressure, the giant head dipped and laid
him gently down upon the ground.
Corenice and Flann came and lifted him. The thing whined and fawned upon them in apology, rubbing up
against the group like a monstrous cat. They waited for what might befall. All this while they saw nothing,
but soon they heard the sound of lapping, a long contented sigh, and the beast was gone.
The moon rose late that night, but when the rays fell cleanly upon the barrow the three rolled away the
stone. Beneath it was an entrance framed in rock slabs and steps that led down.
Gwalchmai turned to the others in farewell.
Here I must go on alone, but I shall return when I have done what I must do. Wait for me.
They nodded, without speaking, for their hearts were full.
Torches had already been prepared, for Gwalchmai knew what he was to find. Now one was lit. He and
Corenice exchanged one lingering glance. They did not touch each other and there was no other farewell.
Close as they were, no embrace could have meant more to them than that look of understanding and
union.
Then he was gone down into that midnight world of Getain s barrow.
They waited. Dawn came, but he did not return. The sun shone hot overhead at noon. They remained
inside the stone circle but did not follow him down. Birds flew overhead, bees buzzed, and once a rabbit
came and fed close by since they lay so quiet waiting.
Through another night and another day they watched. They had nothing to eat or drink and the stars
wheeled overhead and paled and it was the third morning. Then they knew, against all hoping, that some
ill had befallen Gwalchmai and that he would not come.
Faint with hunger, they returned to the boat to find water and food for their bodies need and as the two
walked despondently on, Corenice and Thyra communed.
Corenice said (but Flann heard no words), Little sister, who are so much a part of me, I have kept my
promise that I made you. It was a harder thing to do than you can know, but you are as you were and
you can go to your lover with no loss of pride.
It was as though Thyra whispered (but again Flann heard nothing), I know what you have done and
what you have not done, and I love you for it but what you will do now, if I go, I do not know. I do not
know and I fear for you, for you are also a part of me.
Then it seemed to each as though the two embraced, understanding each other in this sad moment of
parting more than they ever had before, and Corenice said, I shall wait, as I waited before as he
asked me to wait, forever if it need be. What else can anyone who loves do for her man? Yet, before
you and I leave each other, I will make you both a gift so that you will know no more sorrow.
Then she spoke through Thyra s lips and said, Flann!
And when Flann paused and turned, for he was walking ahead of the girl, he felt her palms against his
eyes and suddenly he forgot what he had seen since he first landed in Iceland.
She placed her palms against his ears and he forgot what he had heard and felt upon all that long journey
since he had begun it in the Faroes and had come upon the shores of Mona.
Then she stroked his brow and breathed upon it and new memories came to him how he had stolen
Thyra away from Biarki, who had slain Skeggi, and whom he hated. He remembered that they had fled in
a small boat and now were not far from Erin and his ancestral home but still he was not sure she loved
him, for that was not a false memory any magic could-place in a man s mind. Not even the very ancient
magic of Atlantis.
Thyra felt herself alone, and a little fieldmouse scurried away into the grass beside the path they trod, but
as it went it stopped and looked back briefly. All at once she knew the same memories as Flann had.
She turned away from the mouse, for it meant nothing to her and Flann was now all her world. So they
went on together, back to the boat, not remembering where they had been or why they had left it and
as they walked they did so hand in hand. After they had eaten, they poled the boat down the channel into
the sea and the question was where should they go?
Flann was unsure of himself still. It seemed that just beyond the edges of his memory there was something
he had not quite forgotten and it perplexed and worried him.
Finally he said, Are you sorry that you came with me? Would you rather I set you ashore or took you
back to Stromsey?
Thyra looked demurely upon him and said, What is your will that I should do? Does a stolen girl have
any choice where she may go? What would you have me do? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
side. It ran across the greensward without noise, and somehow this was more frightening than the sounds
of stalking that had dismayed them while they Waited for the proper hour of sunset.
There was a great rough stone upon the mound. On its upper face a sun wheel had been carved in
ancient times and where its boss should have been a deep cup was instead hollowed out in the wheel s
center. Into this, Gwalchmai poured the milk.
At that instant he felt himself seized by a pair of massive jaws, which closed about his chest and raised
him from the ground, shaking him like a rat, while the thing snarled in fury.
He heard Corenice and Flann running in toward him. He cried out, in gasping desperation, Back! Back!
For your soul s lives!
It did not stop them from coming to his rescue, but it halted them for a few steps, and in that time he
brought up the arm holding Thor s torque and laid it against the creature s cold and scaly muzzle.
He heard it sniff at the gold; then the jaws released the terrible pressure, the giant head dipped and laid
him gently down upon the ground.
Corenice and Flann came and lifted him. The thing whined and fawned upon them in apology, rubbing up
against the group like a monstrous cat. They waited for what might befall. All this while they saw nothing,
but soon they heard the sound of lapping, a long contented sigh, and the beast was gone.
The moon rose late that night, but when the rays fell cleanly upon the barrow the three rolled away the
stone. Beneath it was an entrance framed in rock slabs and steps that led down.
Gwalchmai turned to the others in farewell.
Here I must go on alone, but I shall return when I have done what I must do. Wait for me.
They nodded, without speaking, for their hearts were full.
Torches had already been prepared, for Gwalchmai knew what he was to find. Now one was lit. He and
Corenice exchanged one lingering glance. They did not touch each other and there was no other farewell.
Close as they were, no embrace could have meant more to them than that look of understanding and
union.
Then he was gone down into that midnight world of Getain s barrow.
They waited. Dawn came, but he did not return. The sun shone hot overhead at noon. They remained
inside the stone circle but did not follow him down. Birds flew overhead, bees buzzed, and once a rabbit
came and fed close by since they lay so quiet waiting.
Through another night and another day they watched. They had nothing to eat or drink and the stars
wheeled overhead and paled and it was the third morning. Then they knew, against all hoping, that some
ill had befallen Gwalchmai and that he would not come.
Faint with hunger, they returned to the boat to find water and food for their bodies need and as the two
walked despondently on, Corenice and Thyra communed.
Corenice said (but Flann heard no words), Little sister, who are so much a part of me, I have kept my
promise that I made you. It was a harder thing to do than you can know, but you are as you were and
you can go to your lover with no loss of pride.
It was as though Thyra whispered (but again Flann heard nothing), I know what you have done and
what you have not done, and I love you for it but what you will do now, if I go, I do not know. I do not
know and I fear for you, for you are also a part of me.
Then it seemed to each as though the two embraced, understanding each other in this sad moment of
parting more than they ever had before, and Corenice said, I shall wait, as I waited before as he
asked me to wait, forever if it need be. What else can anyone who loves do for her man? Yet, before
you and I leave each other, I will make you both a gift so that you will know no more sorrow.
Then she spoke through Thyra s lips and said, Flann!
And when Flann paused and turned, for he was walking ahead of the girl, he felt her palms against his
eyes and suddenly he forgot what he had seen since he first landed in Iceland.
She placed her palms against his ears and he forgot what he had heard and felt upon all that long journey
since he had begun it in the Faroes and had come upon the shores of Mona.
Then she stroked his brow and breathed upon it and new memories came to him how he had stolen
Thyra away from Biarki, who had slain Skeggi, and whom he hated. He remembered that they had fled in
a small boat and now were not far from Erin and his ancestral home but still he was not sure she loved
him, for that was not a false memory any magic could-place in a man s mind. Not even the very ancient
magic of Atlantis.
Thyra felt herself alone, and a little fieldmouse scurried away into the grass beside the path they trod, but
as it went it stopped and looked back briefly. All at once she knew the same memories as Flann had.
She turned away from the mouse, for it meant nothing to her and Flann was now all her world. So they
went on together, back to the boat, not remembering where they had been or why they had left it and
as they walked they did so hand in hand. After they had eaten, they poled the boat down the channel into
the sea and the question was where should they go?
Flann was unsure of himself still. It seemed that just beyond the edges of his memory there was something
he had not quite forgotten and it perplexed and worried him.
Finally he said, Are you sorry that you came with me? Would you rather I set you ashore or took you
back to Stromsey?
Thyra looked demurely upon him and said, What is your will that I should do? Does a stolen girl have
any choice where she may go? What would you have me do? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]