Roger Taylor - The Return of the Sword

No one spoke.

He turned back to Antyr. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I’m afraid Jaldaric’s right. I can be a little… lengthy… at times. It’s very remiss of me, especially to a welcome guest.’

Jaldaric was about to say something but thought better of it.

‘No apology’s necessary,’ Antyr said. ‘You’ve taken my breath away, that’s all. What you’ve described, I suspect, is what I aspire to, though I’d never thought of it quite like that. It’s just difficult at times. The past is so intense it’s not easily let go, nor is it always easy to know what you’ve learned. And the future’s so uncertain.’

Andawyr swung his feet down from the sill and spun his chair around in a manoeuvre that made Usche draw in a sharp breath and the three men start forward in anticipation of a catastrophic fall.

‘Well, it’s not so uncertain for the next few days,’ he said heartily before Usche could utter the rebuke forming in her expression. ‘You can sleep, eat, wander about, ask questions, read, do nothing, whatever you wish. Then we’ll set off for Anderras Darion.’ He held up a reassuring hand. ‘Don’t worry. Incidentally, the journey’s nothing like the one you’ve just made. And the company will be better. Which reminds me, I’d like you to come as well, Usche. You’ve been before, haven’t you?’

Usche’s eyes widened. ‘Only once, quite a long time ago, when I was a novice,’ she said. ‘But I’d love to go again. It’s a marvellous place.’

Antyr, however, had some reservations. ‘I appreciate your kindness and your hospitality, Andawyr. You’ve made me so welcome that I’m forgetting my manners and I’m beginning to feel rather awkward about just arriving here uninvited and accepting everything you’ve offered. I’d feel much easier if there was something I could do to repay you – anything. I doubt there’s any need for my Dream Finding skill around here, but I’ll sweep, chop wood, whatever you want.’

Andawyr puffed out his cheeks. ‘We have guests coming and going constantly,’ he said. ‘And we stay with others in the same way. It’s nothing unusual. The Riddinvolk in particular do it all the time. They’re…’ He floundered for a moment. ‘You’ll be repaying us just by telling us about your profession. It sounds extremely interesting. I told you, we thrive on learning.’ He clapped his hands. ‘In fact, perhaps I could impose on you this very night. Do you think it would be possible for you to… enter… into one of my dreams?’

‘Yes, yes!’ Tarrian’s and Grayle’s voices burst into Antyr’s mind simultaneously, making him wince.

‘I’d be more than happy to,’ he said, shaking them away. ‘Though I doubt you need any help I could offer.’ He nudged the two now wide awake wolves with his foot. ‘And I have to warn you that these two seem unusually enthusiastic about the prospect.’

‘This is bad?’ Andawyr asked, eyebrows raised.

‘This is suspicious,’ Antyr replied. ‘They’re nothing if not hedonistic.’

Andawyr held out his hands to them. ‘Well, so am I. And they won’t harm me, will they?’

‘No, of course not,’ Antyr said. ‘It’s just that they’re very nosy, that’s all. They like to wander the dream ways.’

‘Which means nothing to me,’ Andawyr retorted. ‘And if it doesn’t hurt I don’t mind.’

‘It doesn’t hurt. You’ll probably enjoy it.’ It was Yatsu.

Andawyr looked at him askance. ‘You did this?’ he inquired.

‘And me,’ said Jaldaric. ‘It’s interesting. Try it.’

‘You’re not the exclusive repository of curiosity, you know,’ Yatsu said smugly.

‘Well, well,’ Andawyr muttered. ‘What did you find?’ he asked Antyr.

‘You’ll have to ask them about that,’ came the reply. ‘What passes between a Dream Finder and his client stays between them.’

‘I stand corrected,’ Andawyr conceded. ‘A little thought and a little less excitement would’ve told me that, wouldn’t it? Anyway, what do we have to do?’

‘Nothing yet,’ Antyr laughed. ‘Unless you’re particularly anxious to get to bed.’

‘Hardly,’ Andawyr replied, glancing over the valley as the daylight faded.

‘You’re due for a long night, Dream Finder, he hardly ever sleeps,’ Jaldaric chimed in, standing up and stretching. He waved what appeared to a completed letter in anticipation of any further ripostes by Andawyr. ‘And unless you want us for anything special, we’ll go and eat.’

‘Don’t get lost,’ Andawyr chided caustically as they were leaving.

He stared at the door for some time after it had closed. ‘It’s so good to see them back safely,’ he said reflectively. ‘I’m afraid we’re none of us totally immune to those looming clouds, Antyr.’

‘You’ve many out searching for those who fled after the war?’ Antyr asked.

‘Yes. And as many just out rediscovering the world.’ His brow furrowed. ‘And we’ve precious little idea where most of them are. All we can do is put the head in charge of the heart and keep telling ourselves they’re all more than capable, and doing what they want to do.’ He slapped his legs. ‘But that’s the way it is, so we have to cope with it.’

Usche cleared her throat.

‘Ah yes. I’m sorry, Usche. I’m intruding on your time.’

‘That doesn’t matter,’ Usche replied. ‘But if you don’t need me, I’ve plenty of things to do.’

Andawyr drew in a breath. ‘First corrected now reproached. This is turning into a chastening day for me.’ He cast a glance over his shoulder at the darkening valley then reached out to touch the edge of the sill. With barely a sound, the surrounds of the window became alive with movement as a series of small panels began to unfold and move towards the centre. Antyr could see no pattern to the movement, but quite suddenly, with a final soft sighing turn, the whole became a seemingly solid shutter, elaborately decorated with intertwined leaves and stems. At the same time lights around the room bloomed into life.

Antyr could do no other than touch the shutter. ‘Marvellous,’ he said. Then, staring round at the lights, he added, ‘And I presume you have no Guild of Lamplighters here.’ He looked at Andawyr. ‘Doubtless you’ll tell me this is all the result of clear thinking, ingenuity and determination, but it looks magical.’

‘You’re showing me the world through your eyes, Antyr, and I suppose it does,’ Andawyr replied. ‘But to other matters. Matters that look magical even to me. Usche, before you go, explain to Antyr about the Power.’

‘What!’

Usche’s manner thus far had been pleasantly and politely attentive. Now she was bolt upright and gaping.

‘Tell him about the Power,’ Andawyr repeated.

‘Just like that?’

‘Just like that. There’s nothing like teaching to help you get to grips with what you think you know. And you’ll be doing a lot more soon.’

There was a flicker of stark panic across Usche’s face that left her cheeks coloured slightly as she recovered. She made a strange whimper and, with an apologetic sidelong glance at Antyr, asked in a half whisper, ‘What does he know?’

Andawyr seemed to be quietly enjoying himself. ‘Listen carefully,’ he said.

Then, very quickly and very succinctly, he repeated Antyr’s story to her. Both she and Antyr were wide-eyed when he finished. She with the story itself, he with the grasp that Andawyr had shown of everything he had told him.

‘Did I miss anything out?’ Andawyr asked him.

‘No, no,’ Antyr stammered. ‘It was very accurate… very clear. Better than the way I told it.’

‘Now you know what I know, Brother Usche, but all questions are for later. Tell him about the Power. Keep it general, no maths.’