The Jack Brenin Collection

by Catherine Cooper

  Jack still didn’t say anything. Nora had told him not to speak. If they thought he was a raven he might be safe. Camelin looked shocked.

  ‘Gavin? Is it really you?’

  ‘I didn’t think you’d remember me, it’s been so long.’

  ‘You were Gwillam’s acolyte before me. Didn’t you go to one of the Groves near the Borderlands?’

  Gavin nodded.

  ‘What a memory!’ exclaimed Gwillam and patted Camelin on the back before turning to Jack. ‘You can speak safely on the lake. Gavin is one of us; he’s no spy and has no allegiance to Velindur.’

  Jack let out a sigh. It hadn’t been easy keeping quiet, especially inside the Council Chamber.

  ‘But what about Jed and Teg?’ he whispered.

  ‘I don’t condone this but sometimes a little bit of magic is necessary. We don’t want them catching up with us, do we?’

  Gwillam bent his long staff towards the boat behind. Jack didn’t see any sparks, but he felt the air shudder. Gwillam smiled.

  ‘That should buy us a bit of time. I hope they can swim!’

  Jack thought the little boat looked lower in the water. It began to sink, faster and faster until Jed and Teg were left flapping their arms around and shouting for help. Gwillam flicked his staff again and two oars popped up out of the water. Jed grabbed one and Teg the other. They each hung on with one hand and tried to attract some attention by waving the other. Jack doubted their cries would be heard until the noise from the fair died down. They might be in the water quite a while if they weren’t able to get themselves back to the shallows.

  ‘Now where were we? Oh yes, did you eat any of the stolen food Jack?’

  ‘I haven’t had anything to eat at all since we came into Annwn.’

  ‘That’s excellent, most excellent, couldn’t be better.’

  Jack couldn’t see why not having eaten was a good thing. His stomach was rumbling and all he could think about was food. Camelin’s stomach growled too.

  ‘If I’m hungry, Jack must be starving. It’s hungry work being a raven, but nobody ever listens to me.’

  ‘It is,’ agreed Jack.

  ‘You can eat once we get back. I’m afraid you’ll be under house arrest so you’re not going to able to go very far, only to the end of my garden and back. I’m responsible for you until the trial, so don’t go letting me down.’

  ‘We won’t,’ said Jack.

  ‘You mean you’re going to take us back? I thought you’d rescued us so we could go back through Glasruhen Gate. I didn’t think you were really going to make us stand trial. Can’t you say we escaped?’

  ‘No Camelin, I can’t. You’ve both broken the law so there must be a trial, but ever since Charkle arrived we’ve been trying to work out a way to save you.’

  ‘What happens if you can’t,’ whispered Camelin.

  ‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.’

  ‘Is Nora very angry with me?’

  ‘Very angry, she’s got a punishment waiting for you when we get back.’

  Camelin groaned. Jack shuffled from one foot to the other. He didn’t want Camelin to take all the blame.

  ‘It was my fault too. I could have said no and stayed behind.’

  ‘No matter, you can tell Nora everything when we get back. The last, and most important question of all, did you answer all Velindur’s questions truthfully?’

  ‘I did.’

  ‘And you Jack?’

  ‘He didn’t ask me any questions; he didn’t speak to me at all. I’m sure he thinks I’m just an ordinary raven. I heard him talking to himself in his chamber. He’s going to try to get you into trouble too, that’s why he’s told Jed and Teg to spy on us.’

  ‘Yes, he’d be very happy if I wasn’t around. He’s tried more than once to persuade me, and the rest of the Blessed Council, to go into the Caves of Eternal Rest. If I went, I know the others would follow. He has no right to call himself King. We’ve only ever had a Queen in Annwn.’

  ‘What happened to the Queen?’ asked Jack.

  ‘No one knows for sure, some say she’s locked away in one of the rooms of the Citadel, others say she’s faded away into nothingness. We wanted her to come to the village but she insisted on staying on the island. I haven’t seen her in a very long time. Velindur hasn’t allowed her any visitors, that much is true.’

  ‘How did he end up as King then?’ asked Camelin.

  ‘You remember that terrible time when all the trouble began?’

  ‘I do,’ Camelin replied and touched his head.

  Jack could see the line of the scar where Camelin’s hair parted. He wasn’t likely to forget the Roman hitting him and leaving him for dead. Gwillam looked sad and he seemed lost in thought for a few moments before he continued.

  ‘Velindur did a great service to Annwn. He led the resistance against the raiders and intruders who came and plundered our land in the past. When the Romans began persecuting the Druids, the four treasures were recalled. The Gateways were to be temporarily sealed until it was safe to reopen them. The Great Sword, the most prized of all the treasures was returned first and the Southern Gateway sealed. The Spear of Justice and the Stone of Destiny arrived, with what was left of the Druids, and the Northern and Eastern Portals were closed. The cauldron you know about.’

  ‘But that doesn’t explain how he became King,’ said Camelin.

  ‘I’m coming to that. When the Druids escaped into Annwn they were sad and weary. Most of them chose to go into the Caves and spend the rest of eternity in peace. You can’t blame them after what they had been through. Velindur saw his chance when only the Blessed Council remained. They were the Lawmakers, the last thirteen Druids in Annwn who worked alongside the Queen. Unlike Velindur, the Council are not strong or ambitious. As each year passed and the Cauldron of Life did not appear, the Queen grew weaker, and her power in Annwn grew less. She was rarely seen, until eventually she wasn’t seen at all.’

  ‘Is that when Velindur took over?’ asked Jack.

  ‘It is. One day we had a Queen, the next it was a King. No one opposed him because he’d always defended Annwn. At first he spoke for the Queen, and then eventually he began speaking for himself. The Blessed Council still makes the laws, but if he could rid himself of us he’d rule supreme.’

  ‘Why were ravens banished from Annwn?’ asked Jack.

  ‘Banished!’ exclaimed Camelin.

  Gwillam sighed.

  ‘A raven once betrayed the people of Annwn and led a raiding party to the Citadel. They stole the Cauldron of Life. After that it was never kept in one piece and never in Annwn. Some say it was a shape-shifter in the form of a raven, others said it was one of the ravens from the Queen’s own garden, which certainly wasn’t true, but from that day on, ravens were banished.’

  ‘Here we are,’ announced Gavin as he steered the boat into the shallows.

  ‘Thank you,’ said Gwillam. ‘It’s just a short walk from here and then we’ll be safe. It would be better not talk until we get back to the village.’

  They quickly left the Citadel and Glass Palace behind. Ahead was a crossroads with six paths including the one they’d just walked along. Gwillam pointed to the left.

  ‘The first path leads to the village where the farms and orchards of Annwn can be found. The second takes you straight to the Northern Gate. This middle path leads to the Mother Oak, the next climbs into the mountains and this one leads to my village, where the Druids live. All the members of the Blessed Council live there. Come on, we’re nearly there.’

  Jack wasn’t looking forward to what Nora would say to them. But he didn’t have long to wait – she was standing by the first building.

  ‘Thank goodness you’re both safe; you’ve got Charkle and Timmery to thank for your release. If they hadn’t found us I don’t know what would have happened. Now, let me look at you.’

  Nora turned Camelin around and looked him up and down.

  ‘A bit grubby, a few bruises b
ut the rest of you looks like I remember you. Go and bathe first, then get into some proper clothes, after that I’ve got a job for you. Are you alright Jack?’

  ‘Yes thanks, but I’m a bit hungry.’

  ‘Is that all you ever think about?’ grumbled Camelin. ‘He’s been whingeing about being hungry ever since we got here.’

  ‘That’s probably because he hasn’t eaten anything. Unlike someone I could mention.’

  Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He’d expected Nora to really tell them off. They walked further into the village until they came to the last house. It was bigger than the others and its round thatched roof almost reached the ground. The doorway had strange carvings in the wood. Through it, three steps led down into a large circular room. In the middle was a hearth with a large black pot suspended over the fire. It was cosy inside the house but quite dark after the brightness outside. Gwillam gave Camelin a pile of clothes and steered him back towards the door.

  ‘Down to the waterfall with you, let’s get this grime off.’

  Camelin pulled a face and looked longingly at the pot of bubbling stew over the hearth.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ said Nora. ‘There’ll be plenty left for you.’

  Jack hopped up onto a low stool and hung his head so Nora would know he was sorry.

  ‘It’s alright Jack, you don’t have to explain. We know everything.’

  ‘I am sorry.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Where’s everyone else?’

  ‘Charkle and Timmery have gone searching. Gwillam doesn’t think there are any Dragonettes in Annwn, but I’m sure Charkle will feel a lot better if he’s had a look.’

  ‘And Elan?’

  ‘Elan has things to do, she’ll be back later.’

  ‘She said I could see her as she really was.’

  ‘And so you shall, but not yet.’

  ‘Gwillam says we’re under house arrest, does that mean we have to stay in all the time?’

  ‘Gwillam has a very big house.’

  Jack looked at the circular room. It wasn’t even as big as Nora’s herborium.

  Nora laughed.

  ‘This is just the kitchen. There’s a doorway over there that leads into another room like this, then another and another. In the middle is a garden so you’ll have plenty of room, it’s just a shame the trial has to be tomorrow night.’

  Jack sighed. He was worried about the trial.

  ‘What happens if they find us guilty?’

  ‘If you’ve told the truth you’ll be fine. When you get to the trial do the same, the truth will set you free. Now how about some food?’

  Jack was on his second bowl of stew when Camelin came back. He looked very different. His hair was neat and tidy and he wore a long robe, which was tied with a cord around his waist.

  ‘You could have waited.’

  Jack couldn’t speak; he had a beak full of food.

  ‘Now, there’s the little matter of a punishment for you both,’ Nora said once they’d finished eating. ‘Follow me.’

  She led them through the doorway on the far side of the room. They went through another round room and then out into a large garden. The sunlight was so bright Jack had to put his wing up to shield his eyes from the glare. It took him a few moments to get used to it. Nora stopped before a long wooden table that had been placed in the shade of an old apple tree. On it was the cauldron. The pile of rhubarb stalks lay next to it.

  ‘Oh great,’ said Camelin. ‘you haven’t given it away. I thought you said it was for the King of the Festival?’

  ‘It was, but when we got here and found everything had changed we didn’t ask too many questions. We came straight here to find Gwillam. He told us there is no King of the Festival anymore, just a King. We thought we could make better use of it here. There’ll be rhubarb pie for supper.’

  ‘Oh rhubarb pie!’ said Gwillam. ‘What a treat.’

  ‘It will be when Jack’s taken out all the strings for me.’

  ‘Strings!’ said Jack as he looked closely at the rhubarb. Nora had already taken the leaves off and the tops and bottoms of the stalks had been trimmed, but Jack couldn’t see any strings.

  Nora picked up the first stick, pinched a piece of the outer skin and pulled. She held up a long fibre for Jack to inspect.

  ‘All these need to be removed or the rhubarb won’t be tender. That lot should keep you occupied for a while.’

  Camelin started to laugh.

  ‘I’m glad I didn’t get that as my punishment.’

  ‘I’ve got something else for you to do,’ said Nora as she pointed towards the cauldron. ‘All the little stalks need to be taken off these.’

  Jack hopped up to the rim. It was almost full to the top with smooth oval shaped leaves. It would take Camelin an age to destalk them all. Jack noticed Camelin wasn’t laughing any more.

  ‘You can enjoy yourselves when you’ve finished,’ Nora told them before going back inside.

  When Jack finished destringing the rhubarb he hopped onto the cauldron rim to have a look in. It was still half-full. Camelin sighed. Jack could see his fingers were getting sore. He nudged Camelin on the arm.

  ‘I’ll help. You pick up a leaf, I’ll nip the stalk off and we’ll have them done in no time.’

  They worked together in silence and the pile of leaves went down rapidly. Jack got used to the strange taste from the stalks as he nipped them off. Eventually the pile had reduced until there was a great heap of leaves on the table and only a few left at the bottom of the cauldron.

  ‘I’ll go and tell Nora we’ve nearly finished and see what she wants you to do with the leaves.’

  ‘I know what she’s going to do with them, she’s talked about it often enough over the years. These are the leaves from the Crochan tree. It must have taken them hours to pick this lot. She’ll make the elixir tonight.’

  ‘Will she have all her magic back then?’

  ‘She’ll have that already. She’ll have drunk some of Gwillam’s elixir, all Druids know how to make it, it’s one of the first things you learn. Nora will brew this up, bottle it and take it back with us through the portal.’

  ‘Does that mean you know how to make it?’

  ‘I know how to prepare it but I wouldn’t be able to finish it off, you need magic for that and I didn’t used to have a wand.’

  ‘I can’t wait till Nora lets us have some wand practice.’

  ‘I’ve done a bit already, but Nora doesn’t know. In fact I might have got a bit of a problem in my loft. I’m going to need your help with it when we get home.’

  ‘We are going to get home, aren’t we? They can’t keep us here forever, can they?’

  Camelin shook his head.

  ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m not an expert on the law so it’s no use asking me.’

  ‘What kind of a problem in the loft?’

  ‘Well I…’

  Camelin stopped abruptly as Nora appeared in the doorway.

  ‘Haven’t you two finished yet?’

  ‘Nearly,’ said Camelin. ‘Jack has and I’ve only got a few left to do.’

  ‘Hurry up and come inside, we’ve got visitors, from the Queen.’

  ‘The Queen!’ Jack and Camelin said together.

  ‘Yes the Queen. Now come along, everyone’s waiting.’

  VISITORS

  Jack and Camelin followed Nora into the roundhouse. It was full of tall people, all deep in conversation with one other. They were standing around in a circle, but their robes blocked any gaps that Jack might have been able to see through.

  ‘What’s going on?’ asked Camelin.

  ‘I’m not sure, I’ll fly up to that rafter and have a look.’

  Below, in the middle of the circle of people was the low table. On top of the table were two pure white birds with bright blue eyes.

  ‘Jack, over here,’ piped a familiar voice.

  Jack looked around for Timmery but couldn’t see him anywhere.


  ‘Over here, we’re watching too,’ added Charkle.

  ‘Where are you?’

  Two tiny, brightly coloured birds appeared and hovered in front of Jack. The smaller of the two was purple with white breast feathers, the other was green with a purple breast.

  ‘Aren’t we beautiful? Oh, what an adventure this is turning out to be! We’re hummingbirds now,’ replied Timmery.

  ‘Hummingbirds!’

  ‘Yes,’ said Charkle. ‘Timmery couldn’t see because of the bright sunshine so Nora turned us both into hummingbirds, there are lots of them here. She said we were a bit conspicuous as bats and we couldn’t be Dragonettes because sadly there aren’t any here, but it’s fun being a hummingbird.’

  ‘So Nora’s got all her powers back then?’ asked Jack.

  ‘Oh yes, just a flick of her wand and whoosh, one minute I’m a bat and can’t see a thing, the next I’m a hummingbird. Have you seen my beautiful feathers? I’ve never had feathers before.’

  Timmery darted around Jack’s head.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Camelin called again. ‘Who are you talking to?’

  ‘I’ll go and tell Camelin if you explain to Jack,’ said Charkle. ‘It’ll save time.’

  The purple and green hummingbird flew down and hovered in front of Camelin. Timmery gave a final twirl so that Jack could see all his beautiful purple feathers.

  ‘So why are they all standing around the two white birds?’

  ‘They’re ravens, from the Queen’s garden.’

  ‘White ravens, it’s true then! What are they doing here?’

  ‘They’ve brought a message for the Blessed Council and for both of you.’

  ‘For us? Why?’

  ‘I don’t know. They won’t say another word until everyone’s here.’

  Jack looked around the room. He counted twelve men he didn’t recognise. Gwillam was by the doorway and Nora was talking to Gavin.

  ‘So, who’s missing?’

  ‘Elan, but she’s on her way.’

  At last Jack was going to see Elan as she really was.

  Gwillam turned to face the crowded room. When a small red hummingbird landed on his shoulder, he banged his staff three times on the floor. The conversation stopped immediately and everyone turned towards the door. The little hummingbird flew into the only space and began to turn around rapidly until all Jack could see was a red blur. Jack watched in amazement as the spinning slowed and Elan appeared.