The Dark Age

by Traci Harding

  ‘Keridwen said I must learn the sacred mysteries on my own. This is my cursed punishment.’ Taliesin was so despondent, not himself at all.

  ‘Well, you told me that you’d grown so disheartened with the state of Britain that you besought Keridwen to teach you the proper use of your knowledge, so that you might instigate the plan I have spoken of and change the fate of this land altogether! Now the Goddess will not agree, but she will compromise in the end and send you back through time to learn the greater mysteries from the Old Ones in Atlantis.’

  ‘Atlantis! How grand, I tire so of the modern world.’ Taliesin sounded excited by the prospect. ‘And I actually did all this, already?’

  ‘Aye.’ Tory was pleased that he was looking more eager.

  ‘Splendid! I should summon Keridwen at once.’

  ‘Wait a minute.’ Tory took hold of his arm. ‘You must not forget the reason why I’m here.’ She made sure she regained his full attention. ‘You have to remember that I don’t return with Maelgwn to the Dark Age as planned. I’m stuck here in the twentieth century, as I have already explained. You must remember, therefore, that when you calculate the first return, you also have to consider my return the following hour, or none of this will ever come to pass.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Look, I don’t need you to understand this right now, I just need you to promise that when the time comes, you’ll remember what I’ve said.’

  ‘I shall remember, gracious lady.’ He took up her hand and kissed it.

  Brian thought this was rather gross; he still saw Taliesin in the image of an old man, as had Brockwell. ‘So, how do we get out of here?’

  ‘The same way you came in,’ Taliesin answered, motioning to the stone in the middle of the room.

  ‘Oh yes, I nearly forgot to warn you.’ Tory frowned, anxious. ‘People upstairs are trying to remove your altar stone from its resting place.’

  Taliesin laughed away her fears. ‘Good luck to them, nobody else has managed it. And even if they do move it, the stone shall only return by the next morn.’

  Tory smiled at this, as he led her to the stone.

  ‘Hey, Taliesin,’ Brian turned to them, already in position. ‘You wouldn’t happen to know where Myrddin is hiding out, would you?’ Brian wondered if Taliesin could shed some light on their father’s dilemma.

  ‘Why no, I haven’t seen him since the battle of Arthuret,’ the Merlin replied.

  Of course, Tory realised, if Taliesin has not yet returned to Atlantis, then he has not yet learnt the secrets of time travel. So he had yet to return to fourth-century Britain to free Myrddin from the tree, and hatch the scheme that would change the course of Britain.

  ‘Fear not great lady, I look forward to embarking on this quest, and I shall leave as soon as I can persuade Keridwen.’ Tory took her place next to Brian, and Taliesin bowed to her in parting. ‘I will see you in the past, Tory Alexander.’

  ‘And I look forward to seeing you, sir, in the future.’ She gave him the thumbs-up, turning her attention to Brian as the mist began to rise. ‘When we get back, I have to get out of there quickly. I don’t want to have to answer any questions.’

  ‘You got it,’ Brian assured her, grabbing hold of her hands.

  Miles had just started to doze off when a blinding light burst forth from the cross, and the mist began to rise before his eyes. It felt like the apocalypse as he watched Brian and Tory emerge from the haze, unscathed.

  ‘Brian!’ Naomi jumped on him. ‘Don’t ever do that again, not without telling me.’

  ‘I have no intention of doing that again, period.’

  Miles stood, arms folded, as Tory made her way past him in silence. ‘Thanks for telling me.’

  ‘Why Professor, I showed you, didn’t I? In case you haven’t worked it out yet, it’s a doorway.’

  ‘To where?’ he demanded.

  ‘You find out,’ she said, picking up her pace.

  ‘I gotta go.’ Brian pulled himself away from Naomi. ‘But I’ll call you tomorrow.’ He crossed his heart and blew her a kiss as he ran to catch his sister up.

  ‘Brian!’ She wanted to tell him not to bother, but she couldn’t; the thought of never seeing him again was too horrible. ‘I love you.’

  ‘Right back at ya.’ Brian’s voice echoed through the darkness.

  Tory had reached the car by the time Miles caught her up. As she unlocked the door and opened it, he slammed it closed. ‘You know I’ve got no chance of working it out without you.’

  ‘Well, maybe next life.’ She opened the door and he again slammed it closed.

  ‘Damn it, don’t leave.’

  ‘Come on, Miles. You wouldn’t even have called me if you’d been able to move the bloody thing. No one gets the chance to lie to me twice.’

  ‘Absolutely correct.’ Brian came to stand between them, urging Miles back. ‘Don’t make me kill you now, when you’ve been doing so well.’ He held Miles at bay while Tory got into the car.

  ‘Brian, you don’t understand.’

  ‘Oh, yes I do.’ Brian jumped in the car, starting up the engine. ‘Better than you do, I’d say.’ He winked, backing the car up at racing speed and taking off into the night.

  ‘Why does everyone know more about me than I do!’

  ‘So what do you make of it now?’ Naomi joined Miles in the carpark.

  ‘I don’t know,’ he answered, annoyed by the question. ‘I need time to think.’ He headed for his car, turning back as he walked. ‘Sorry, Naomi. Goodnight.’

  ‘It has been,’ Naomi decided, as she headed for her car to drive home to bed.

  25

  AWAKENINGS

  Tory and Brian arrived home from Llyn Cerrig Bach in the early hours of the following morning to find their aunt sitting in the kitchen, near scared out of her wits.

  As Tory made them all tea, Rose told them of a nightmare she’d had. ‘A horrid old woman, a witch I think, was standing in the middle of my kitchen, laughing at me. It felt as if my entire body was being restrained by her. It was awful!’

  From Rose’s description of her assailant, Tory feared it was Mahaud. Although, as she sat in the kitchen with her family, she couldn’t sense the presence of the evil crone. Tory assured her aunt that the wicked witch could never exist in such a harmonious environment, and hoped that Maelgwn had been correct when he’d told her thus.

  Weeks passed and still Tory refused to take Miles Thurlow’s calls. He’d tried writing to her but she wouldn’t even open the letters, let alone read them.

  Tory kept up her training, practised her saxophone, and submerged herself in her history studies. Though she had achieved her third Dan grade and found Taliesin, there was still close to nine months remaining before the summer solstice. She’d thought that she would welcome some time to herself, yet within a week, she was bored and hankering for a quest of some kind. Rhun was no trouble, and although Tory loved spending time with him, she craved an intellectual challenge. Since the night of her aunt’s dream, she’d also been thinking about finding a place of her own. She feared that if Mahaud was in the twentieth century, it was Gwynedd’s heir she was seeking. Tory considered she could do something really novel and get a job of some kind. But then again, if she was living alone this would prove difficult with a young child. She was mulling on this notion when her father came into her room.

  ‘Tory please, Professor Thurlow is on the phone.’

  ‘I’m not here,’ Tory said, remaining engrossed in her study.

  Renford frowned at her childish retort. ‘Yes, yes, but he asked me to give you the message that he’s in the restoration business, and he urgently needs to speak with you about it.’

  Tory turned to her father, considering whether or not she should take the call. Renford was relieved when she followed him to the phone.

  ‘Alright, what’s the story?’ Tory said flatly.

  ‘Thank God, I was about to jump in the car! I’ve got to hand it to you, Tory, you really know how
to hold a grudge,’ he replied, his tone warm and friendly.

  ‘Well, you really know how to piss me off, Professor. Speak now or forever hold your peace.’

  ‘Okay, please, just don’t hang up. I’ve been calling because, after investigating the possibility of restoring this site of yours, I have a few investors who might be interested in getting the funding under way. But …’ he paused before posing his problem. ‘I have a feeling they will respond with more enthusiasm to a sales pitch coming from you.’

  ‘So who are they, perverts or psychics?’

  Miles laughed, he liked her humour. ‘Druids, in fact. It would seem that in the order are some of the richest and most highly placed men in Britain these days.’

  That’s not surprising, Tory thought.

  ‘One of them called me when he read about the site, and asked if we were considering the possibility of restoring it.’

  ‘You, of course, lied and said you were.’

  ‘Indeed.’ Miles feared that he would never live long enough for Tory to allow him to forget his misdemeanour. ‘But the trouble is, we didn’t exactly see eye to eye. I think if anybody’s going to sell them on this project, it will be you. So, when can you get here?’

  ‘Wait a minute, are you hiring me?’

  ‘I am, we can discuss the details when you arrive. The druids have asked to view the altar and the statues on the weekend, and we need some time to get a strategy together before then. So your presence is required yesterday.’

  ‘I need some time to think about this.’

  ‘What’s there to think about?’

  ‘I’ll call you in the morning, I promise.’ She hung up before he could argue.

  This would get Rhun away from the house, which would make her feel much safer. Ever since Maelgwn’s departure she had sensed something watching her. The job Miles offered her was too tempting to resist, yet she had to consider her own emotions. She was pretty clear about how she felt. Although Miles was Maelgwn, deep down inside her, Tory knew that Miles didn’t possess the qualities that she most adored in her husband. The way she saw it, this was some kind of test. The powers that be were making it a little difficult, in her opinion, but there must be a reason why such an opportunity had been thrown her way. After all, it had originally been her idea to restore the site, why shouldn’t she have a hand in its resurrection? Not that she hadn’t already.

  After a very restless night for both herself and Rhun, Tory decided she would take the challenge. She would make sure that she was earning enough money to get her own place, support herself and get a nanny. If this couldn’t be arranged she would decline, as she wouldn’t stay with Miles again. She could foresee the long hours she would be putting in with him on this, and it was going to be hard enough to keep him at bay without living with him to boot! If their relationship remained on a professional level this was exactly the kind of project she’d been waiting for, and it was certainly a cause she believed in.

  Tory announced her immediate departure to her family at breakfast that morning. Teo wasn’t there as he was sleeping off a hangover from a party the night before. Brian pleaded his friend’s case on his behalf, telling them that the celebration was in honour of an old friend and so Teo had been obliged to go.

  Tory hadn’t been spending as much time in Teo’s company since grading, but he seemed to be powering along quite well on his own. She feared that, in her absence, Teo’s decadent binges might start all over again. So, as much as Tory hated to sound like a mother, she asked Brian to keep an eye on him.

  He understood well enough and urged her not to worry. ‘You just keep your eye on Thurlow,’ he warned, before telling her to pack her things and he’d drive her up to Mon.

  Her father was thrilled by her involvement in the project. Rose asked Tory to keep in touch and swore that she’d contact her if her spirits had any word from Maelgwn.

  When Tory arrived at the site’s reception desk, baggage, baby, and all, Amanda didn’t quite know what to think.

  ‘Tory!’ Miles surfaced from his office to greet her. ‘Thank god you’re here.’

  ‘Professor.’ Brian followed Tory in carrying her saxophone case.

  ‘And you’re here too.’ Miles didn’t sound as thrilled to see him.

  ‘Not for long, I’m afraid. I’ve got a class to teach tonight.’ He dropped the luggage and winked at the girl behind the desk. ‘Hey Amanda, looking mighty good, babe.’

  ‘Why Brian, you’re looking rather fine yourself. Thank you so much for noticing.’ She graced Brian with a smile.

  ‘Well, we should really start work.’ Miles was eager to get Tory alone, or at least away from her brother.

  ‘Actually Miles, I only dropped in to tell you I’m here. I thought I should hire a car and find somewhere to live.’ Tory knew he wouldn’t be game enough to suggest she stay at his place while Brian was standing there.

  ‘Then I’ll give you a hand,’ he said. ‘The quicker we get you settled, the quicker we can get started, right?’

  Satisfied that all was to his liking, Brian left. Miles offered Tory some tea before they began all their running around, and she was thankful for a moment to rest.

  No sooner did Miles have Tory in the privacy of his office, than he changed his tune. ‘Tory, I really think you should consider staying at my place, just until the weekend.’

  ‘No way, Miles. No offence, but we will drive each other nuts.’

  ‘Look, think about it a second. If you find a place of your own today, you’ll have to find a nanny and who knows what else. We don’t have the time to spare. If we work on the proposal at my place, the long hours won’t tax you so much as there’s no travel time, and the baby can be with you while you work. Then, after we secure the interest of the investors on the weekend, we’ll be able to relax a bit and I’ll do whatever I can to help you get settled elsewhere. Please Tory, I really need your fullest attention right now.’

  ‘You’ve obviously given this some thought.’ Tory really didn’t want to admit that what he said made perfect sense. ‘Alright, but just till the weekend, promise?’

  ‘I do.’ Miles was pleased with the outcome. He then turned to the baby basket on his coffee table. ‘Wow, he looks just like me.’

  Tory smiled. ‘He takes after his father.’

  Miles ventured so far as to touch Rhun’s little hands, and was rather happy to be given a huge smile in response. ‘What’s his name?’

  ‘Rhun.’ Tory almost cringed as she said it, hoping he didn’t ask why on earth she’d chosen such an Old World name.

  ‘That’s a very traditional name,’ Miles remarked, thinking nothing more of it.

  Tory restrained her amusement. ‘His father’s from a very traditional family.’

  The decision to start work on the proposal first thing the following day was unanimous. Miles cooked up a feast, after which they sat and talked by the fire for hours. Tory was surprised to find that Miles’ whole manner had changed since their last meeting. He’d stopped plaguing her with questions, content just to be in her company. This was a worry for Tory as Miles was much more like Maelgwn now, and several times during the course of the evening she forgot herself and nearly mistook him for her husband.

  Although Miles was making a distinct effort not to annoy his guest, when they finished off a glass of port before bed he chanced one question. ‘I know you’ll probably get angry at me, but there’s something I have to ask.’

  ‘Where did I take Brian that night?’ Tory guessed his mind but she wasn’t upset by it, in fact she was rather impressed that he hadn’t asked earlier.

  ‘Yes.’ Miles felt a bit disappointed to be so predictable.

  ‘Surely you have worked out where it leads by this time, Miles. Just out of curiosity, where do you think we went?’

  Miles hesitated, then realised that in all probability nothing he could surmise would sound as ridiculous as the truth. ‘Well, the statues seem to indicate a doorway to … the Otherworld?’
r />   Tory applauded his conclusion. ‘Very good … and correct, too.’

  Miles half frowned, half smiled. ‘And what business did you have there?’

  ‘I had to meet someone.’

  ‘Anyone I might know?’

  ‘You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.’ Tory stood up to go to bed.

  ‘Try me.’

  ‘Taliesin Pen Beirdd.’

  ‘You’re right, I don’t believe you. But still, I would be interested to know, did you have any reason to seek him, in particular?’

  ‘I had to deliver a message.’

  ‘From whom?’

  ‘Himself.’ She flashed a smile and waved goodnight.

  As agreed, Tory and Miles began work early the next day. Though there was a mountain of figures, estimates, and documents to be compiled, the task proved to be easier than they’d first imagined. Tory had the vision where Miles had know-how, and they were surprised at how easily the proposal fell together; the days simply flew by.

  For Tory it seemed like working with Maelgwn again, and she found herself daring to trust Miles once more. He was wonderful with Rhun, and Tory half suspected that Rhun instinctively sensed his father in this man. Although she was pleased they got along so well, she would be relieved to find a place of her own before they got too attached to each other.

  Through living with Tory and Rhun, Miles discovered a cosy kind of family bliss he’d never known or even considered before. He loved the sound of the saxophone wafting through the house in the late afternoon as he cooked dinner. He loved rising at sunrise and minding Rhun as he watched Tory practise kata on the beach. Once again, he’d begun to wonder about this husband of hers. Tory never mentioned him, only that she was to meet up with him in June the following year. Miles wanted to tell Tory how he felt about her, but he’d decided to refrain from saying anything until their conference with the wise and wealthy of Britain was over.