Edith Pattou - Hero's Song

Collun heard the song but faintly. Yet he felt a flickering of hope, and the tips of his own numb fingers tingled slightly.

When the song was done, Brie's eyelids trembled. Then slowly her eyes opened. Collun felt a surge of joy, but then he saw the expression in her eyes. There was nothing there; no sign of recognition, only a terrifying blankness.

FOURTEEN

The Ellyl Wind

Collun sat by her and said, "Brie? It is Collun. How do you feel?" But she did not respond. He laid a hand on her forehead. It was still freezing cold to the touch. He gave Silien a questioning look.

The Ellyl shook his head. "She is alive. She can move her limbs. I can do no more." He was already lying on the ground, eyelids drooping. "Just a short rest," he mumbled, and his eyelids fell shut.

Collun and Talisen tried to feed Brie some nuts, but she would not chew them. The best they could do was to pour water into her mouth, which she swallowed, more by reflex than choice.

While Silien slept again, Collun decided they must get Brie back to Temair. Perhaps there they would know what to do. All thoughts of setting off on his own were forgotten.

When the Ellyl awoke, Collun told him his intention.

"It will do no good," said Silien, shaking his head. But Collun set his mouth in a stubborn line.

"We go to Temair," he said. Silien shrugged.

When morning came, they got Brie to her feet and found she was able to walk, although she moved sightlessly, like a sleepwalker. One of them had to be at her side always to guide her steps.

Collun chose an easterly direction, thinking to circle Bricriu's dun and then travel south toward Temair.

The day wore on and they made little progress from the copse of silver fir trees. Then they came to the crest of a small hill and Silien suddenly halted, a smile on his face. "There is a river near," he said.

Stepping briskly, he fell into the lead, and by late afternoon they came to the banks of a large, noisy river. "The River Ardagh," said the Ellyl with the tone of one meeting an old friend.

As they sank down onto the spongy turf at the river's edge, they watched Silien take out a length of translucent thread. To the end of it he attached a small glittering object and cast it into the water. It wasn't long before the riverbank around him was covered with flopping, silvery fish. Talisen kindled the fire, as Collun's right hand was still useless, and after Silien had cleaned the fish, Talisen roasted them over the flames. The hot fish melted in Collun's mouth.

They tried again to feed Brie, but she would not move her jaws. Collun made a broth of fish, water, and herbs to pour into her mouth.

As Collun lay down to sleep that night, he noticed the Ellyl sitting on the very edge of the riverbank, Fara at his side. Silien was gazing fixedly at the flowing water. Ever since they had come to the river, his face had worn a distracted, hungry look.

Collun remembered Silien telling them Ellylon loved water, and many of the ways into Tir a Ceol were by water. Collun wondered, as he drifted off into an exhausted sleep, whether the Ellyl was homesick.

When Collun woke in the morning, Silien still sat by the river. Next to him was a makeshift basket made of reeds, filled to the top with fish. Fara was leisurely cleaning herself. Collun walked over to the Ellyl. "You have been busy."

"Yes," replied Silien. "I wanted to leave you with a supply of fish. The road back to Temair is a long one."

Collun was about to thank the Ellyl when the meaning of his words sank in. He stared down at the basket of fish. "You are leaving us?"

"My home is not far. I do not know if my father will have me, but I have decided to return. I have been gone long."

Talisen overheard Silien's words. He sat upright and said angrily, "You're deserting us?"

"I can do no more for the Flame-girl."

"Silien," Collun cut in, his voice higher than usual, "is there nothing that can save Brie?"

"No." The Ellyl paused. "Nothing in your land."

"What do you mean, nothing in our land?"

"Except perhaps for your Crann, who comes and goes as he chooses, there is no one in Eirren with the power to heal the Flame-girl. If she were Ellyl..."

"Yes?"

"There might be a way, if she were Ellyl."

"Can you not use the same method on Brie?"

Silien shook his head. "I do not know the way. Only the elders of Tir a Ceol know it."

"Then take us with you to Tir a Ceol," Collun said, his voice loud.

Silien was startled, but he shook his head again. "They would never agree to heal one of your kind."

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Take me to them anyway. Perhaps if I could speak with them..."

"You would be destroyed if you even tried to enter Tir a Ceol. And I, too, no doubt, for bringing you."

"Take us, Silien," Collun pleaded. "I will say I forced you, that you acted against your will."

The Ellyl only smiled.

Then Collun was angry. "Brie was right all along. You are capable only of feeling for yourself. You would let her die, as you would let anything weaker than you die, if helping meant danger to yourself."

"It is foolish to act otherwise," Silien responded coolly.

"Then you are a coward." Collun turned away, tears of anger stinging his eyes.

Silien was unmoved. "Call me what you will. I wish to return home, and I can think of no reason to take you with me." He bent to place a cover on the reed basket.

Collun walked back toward Brie, his good hand clenched tightly in frustration.

"I can understand your point of view," he heard Talisen say to Silien. Collun spun around in disbelief.

"After all," Talisen continued, "you have said that no one in hundreds of years has dared to bring a human into Tir a Ceol. To be the first," Talisen paused, "why, it would be an act of infamy. Ellylon would speak of it for years hence."

Silien straightened. There was a speculative look in his eyes. He gazed across the water.

"Think of what your parents would say..."

"I have no mother," Silien said distractedly, still staring at the river.

"Your father, then. Why, he would never let you live it down. To bring a human into Tir a Ceol. Of course, it's unthinkable."

Silien shifted his gaze to Talisen. He gave his half-smile. "You are indeed the clever one, harp-player. Very well, I will take you into Tir a Ceol, if only to see the look on my father's face." He turned and walked off toward a nearby stand of trees.

Talisen let out a whoop and danced an impromptu jig around the remains of last night's fire. "Did you hear, Collun? We are going to Tir a Ceol!"

"Thank you, Talisen," Collun said to his friend.

When Silien returned, he bore an armful of branches. He sat down and patiently set to work stripping them. Collun asked what he was doing, and he replied, "On my own, I can swim to my home. But you are human and cannot. I must build a curragh to take us into Tir a Ceol."

"We will help you."

Silien nodded and put Collun to work stripping the leaves and twigs off the branches. At first it was awkward, working without his right hand, but Collun soon learned the knack of holding the branch between his knees, steadying it with his right shoulder, and using his left hand to pull off leaves.

It took them a day and a half of hard work to build the boat. Often, as they labored, Collun could hear Silien humming under his breath. Collun guessed the melody held Ellyl magic, for the work went much faster than it otherwise would have.

As he kept a watch over Brie, Collun stripped the hazel rods. Silien and Talisen went to hunt for game. They came back, exhausted but triumphant, bearing a large kine between them. They skinned the animal, saving the meat for dinner, then stretched the hide out on the ground to dry in the weak autumn sun.