The first light of dawn broke with fog creeping in, climbing the hillsides like a cat stretching its claws to a tree trunk, filling the valley below my cartref. The cool autumn morning air, at once woke me and made me wish for the security of my warm bed, as the horses picked their way up the hillside towards the borders of the Algraig lands. The only sounds were the occasional startled bird call as an early morning creature found its prey and the soft muffled breath of the horses, which mingling with my own, wafted away to mix with the fog. My Father rode silently before me, the surrounding lands calling a hush to thought and word.
As we crested the peak, pausing to look at the lands below us, my Father finally spoke. His deep voice resonating up through his beard, making me wish all the more to be that carefree child I was yesterday.
"Nevara..look below you. What do you see?" His eyes cast upon the valley far below.
I shrugged, "I see the valley, Nhad...fog..some trees." I looked at my Father, wondering what he wanted me to see.I peered once again at the valley, then said wistfully, "If it were clearer, I could maybe see home, and Mother and Fia."
My Father turned and watched me a moment at that last comment, perhaps catching the note of longing in it. Then turning back to the valley below, he said, "Remember your home. Remember your people. Remember the love of your teulu." He took a long, deep breath, and continued slowly, "Every time you have a chance, to be on top of a mountain or a hill, look at that valley below you, and remember. When the world is spread out before you, every possibility is there, waiting."
Did I detect a note of wistfulness as well in my Fathers tone? I don't recall, but I should have.
The remainder of the long trip was spent mostly in silence, apart from the few words needed to set up and break camp at dusk and dawn each day. As we got further into the bordering outlands, we turned our horses into the deep forest, where my Grandmother and the Derudh make their home. I became more tired and anxious, until I got to the point, I just wanted it over with. Then finally midst the forest, appearing to the untrained eye as nothing more then a slightly more organized collection of downfall, rocks and trees, my Grandmothers' Derudh pentref was there and we had arrived.
Approaching the pentref, a shrill cry of a bird rang out, then another, and another; thus I knew our arrival had been noted. We approached the first of a series of boulders indicating an entry way of sorts, and stopped, waiting, knowing that we must be invited to enter the sanctuary of the Derudh. Not long, and soon we heard voices approaching us.
"....Yes, it must be them. Only the ones who know the-" The voice stopped and from behind the first boulder, my Grandmother appeared. "Blaidd, my son and Nevara, my grandaughter...You are welcome. You both made it in time for the full moon, as I had asked." My Grandmother, gazed over us a moment, her usual serious demeanor, tempered by the pleased look in her cool grey eyes. Then she continued briskly, "Nevara, we will need to start immediately if we are to prepare for your passage this evening. Blaidd, you can feed and water your horse, and return to your teulu as soon as you wish. Please follow me." And with a nod, she turned and walked smartly into the village camp.
My Father and I followed behind, dismounting as we came near the horse pen. My Father took the reins of my horse, then suddenly grasped my arm, pulling me closer and hugging me tight. I could feel the scratch of his beard and hear the rumble of his voice in his chest, as he said, "Do as your Grandmother says, she will take care of you. Remember my words on top of our hill, plentyn."
I hugged my Father tight, a feather of worry tickling my chest. "Won't you stay, Nhad?"
My Father was quiet for a long moment, holding me, then he said gently, "No, Nevara. This you must do alone."
He held me a few fleeting moments more and then looked down at me smiling, his dimples, so like my own, appearing. "Besides, I need to return and take care of your Mother and your Sister. You know how your Mother worries." He stepped back, holding my shoulders with his strong hands, his smile slipping and his eyes becoming earnest. "You will be fine, my girl. You will be safe."
He looked up at the sound of a footstep as my Grandmother, having noticed I had not followed her, approached again. My Father let go of my arms, and turned to our horses, as my Grandmother said surprisingly quietly, almost gently, "Its time Nevara..we need to bring you to the tent."
Starting to follow my Grandmother towards the very small tent in the center of the pentref, I saw movement from the corner of eye as my Father looked up and said quietly, "Ffare thi yn dda. Mai y sêr bob amser yn arwain i chi, fy mhlentyn fach."
I looked over my shoulder, a tickle of worry rising again, at his words. But he had already returned to the horses and did not look my way again. Turning away, I followed my Grandmother across the moss cushioned, forest clearing and entered the small tent behind her.
*note: Welsh is used as the basis for Dunlending language.*
