The Jack Brenin Collection

by Catherine Cooper

  A gasp came from the crowd. Jack could see they were shocked to learn the portal had been opened.

  Hynad spoke firmly to the Council.

  ‘If the boy is a spy, why draw attention to himself by leaving the gate open? Wouldn’t a spy creep into Annwn unnoticed and close the door behind him?’

  Velindur paced up and down.

  ‘I demand to know who sent you, why did you come into Annwn?’

  ‘No one sent me. I came because Glasruhen Gate was open and I wanted to go to the fair.’

  Some of the people in the crowd laughed.

  ‘You came as a raven, and you brought a raven with you. Ravens are banned from Annwn. You broke the law,’ Velindur shouted.

  ‘I did,’ Camelin agreed.

  There was silence.

  ‘At last he admits he’s guilty. Let the judgement be given.’

  Hynad stood before the table.

  ‘I plead the boy be pardoned. He didn’t know he was committing a crime, he only wanted to come into Annwn and have some fun at the fair.’

  Everything went quiet as each member of the Blessed Council wrote their verdict onto a slate and passed it down to Gwillam. When they were all before him he stood and banged his staff.

  ‘We have agreed on a verdict. We find the prisoner not guilty of shape-shifting or spying.’

  The crowd sounded angry and Jack could see Velindur wasn’t pleased. Camelin looked relieved. Gwillam banged his staff again for quiet.

  ‘We find the prisoner guilty of trespass.’

  ‘No,’ wailed Camelin as he dropped to his knees and tried to fight back the tears.

  Velindur strode over to the bar, but before he could speak Hynad touched his arm.

  ‘I beg you, when you decide the boy’s fate be just and fair. Don’t punish him severely.’

  Velindur shrugged her arm off and went over to where Jack was perched and pointed at him. He waited for silence before speaking in his loudest voice.

  ‘The raven is a thief. I call my first witness.’

  The woman from the sweet stall at the fair made her way to the table.

  ‘Take a close look at the accused before you speak,’ Gwillam told her.

  She came up to the bar and peered at Jack.

  ‘That’s him! That’s the thieving raven who stole my fudge!’

  ‘We saw him too,’ a group shouted from the crowd.

  ‘That will be all,’ said Velindur. ‘I call my second witness.’

  The man from the barbecue also went to inspect Jack.

  ‘That’s him. He stole a link of my best sausages, seven in all.’

  Hynad walked over to the two witnesses.

  ‘How can you be sure this was the same raven who stole your food?’

  ‘He’s the raven, no doubt about it,’ the woman replied.

  ‘Enough,’ cried Velindur. ‘He’s a thief, he broke the law. Not only did he steal but he ate the food of Annwn without invitation, that also is against the law. Let the Blessed Council make judgement.’

  Hynad stepped quickly to the table before the members of the Council could begin to write.

  ‘The raven hasn’t had a chance to answer the accusations which have been brought against him.’

  Velindur laughed.

  ‘How’s a dumb bird going to be able to understand you?’

  Gwillam nodded to Hynad to proceed. She walked over to Jack.

  ‘Have you stolen any food since you entered Annwn?’

  ‘No,’ Jack croaked as loudly as he could.

  Every eye turned towards him. His legs began to tremble. Velindur’s mouth fell open; he stared in disbelief as Jack continued speaking.

  ‘I ate nothing that I wasn’t offered.’

  ‘You lie. He’s a shape-shifting spy too,’ cried Velindur.

  ‘Are you a spy?’ asked Hynad. ‘Can you shape-shift?’

  ‘I’m not a spy and I can’t shape-shift. I came into Annwn with my friend Camelin. We wanted to go to the fair.’

  ‘If you’re not a shape-shifter, then what are you? Who are you?’ Velindur demanded.

  ‘My name is Jack Brenin and I’m a raven-boy.’

  The crowd and some of the Blessed Council looked amazed. Velindur began tugging at his cloak as he paced up and down the room.

  ‘That cannot be. I demand a verdict now. You’ve heard all the evidence.’

  There was a lot of muttering and debate amongst the members of the Blessed Council. The slates were passed down to Gwillam. He rose and silence fell.

  ‘We find the prisoner guilty.’

  The crowd roared.

  Jack’s heart sank. He bowed his head.

  Hynad stepped forward again.

  ‘I beg you to be lenient.’

  Velindur ignored her and marched up to the table.

  ‘Read the prisoners their rights.’

  Gwillam stood and unrolled a parchment.

  ‘You have both pleaded not guilty. By the Law of Annwn if you insist you are innocent and the one who has accused you is wrong, you may either accept the punishment the King demands or face the Spear of Justice. If you face the Spear and have told the truth, no harm will come to you. If you lie, you will die.’

  A hush fell over the room. Velindur climbed slowly back onto the platform and sat on his throne.

  ‘The law is clear, the penalty is death.’

  ‘No,’ wailed Camelin.

  Jack froze, he couldn’t move, he couldn’t speak. He looked at Hynad who stood shaking her head.

  ‘I ask you one last time to reconsider your punishment. The accused came into Annwn believing they would be welcomed not arrested.’

  Velindur held up his hand to silence the crowd.

  ‘I have spoken, my word is final.’

  Tears ran down Camelin’s cheeks. Jack knew he had to be brave. He’d been told to tell the truth and he had. He’d not walked into Annwn he’d flown in, although he didn’t think Velindur was in any mood to argue the point. However, he was sure about the other things he’d been accused of. He wasn’t totally human anymore, he was a raven-boy. And he certainly hadn’t stolen any food.

  ‘I will face the Spear of Justice,’ he croaked, but his throat was so dry and his voice so small, only a few people heard.

  ‘No,’ Camelin wailed again. ‘This is all my fault.’

  ‘What did you say?’ Velindur demanded.

  Jack summoned all his strength, straightened his back and sat up straight.

  ‘I will face the Spear of Justice. I have told the truth.’

  ‘Fetch the Spear,’ Velindur instructed one of the guards.

  Jack felt hot tears well up in his eyes. He could hardly bear to look at Gwillam as he walked slowly to the centre of the room and took up his position directly opposite Jack. The room fell silent. No one moved until the door to Velindur’s chamber reopened. When the guard stepped out, the crowd started shouting loudly.

  ‘The Spear, the Spear,’ they chanted.

  The people were making so much noise they didn’t hear Gwillam call for silence. He had to bang the Spear on the floor several times, before the noise subsided. When he had silence and every eye was upon him, he held the Spear high for all to see. A murmur from the crowd followed then silence fell again. Jack wanted to close his eyes but he didn’t want anyone to know how afraid he felt, instead he swallowed hard and stood very still.

  Gwillam grasped the Spear with both hands and bowed his head. He waited for a few seconds, which seemed like hours to Jack. When he looked up again the tip of the Spear was glowing. He held it high again and showed it to the crowd then proclaimed loudly: ‘Let the Light of Truth from the Spear of Justice decide the fate of the prisoner.’

  ‘No,’ Camelin shouted. ‘This is all my fault. Jack didn’t eat the sausages, I did.’

  No one took any notice. Everyone’s eyes were on Gwillam as he aimed the Spear slowly at Jack’s heart. When the Spear was horizontal, a shaft of light exploded from the tip, but before it could rea
ch Jack, Camelin launched himself in front of the rapidly moving beam.

  ‘No!’ Jack screeched, as Camelin dropped to the floor. ‘No!’

  He swooped down and tried to choke back his tears as he looked at Camelin’s lifeless body.

  There was silence. A woman from the crowd cried out and came running over, she dropped to her knees and lifted Camelin’s head onto her arm. Jack could see it was Nora even through his tears. She gently put her other arm around Jack’s trembling body.

  ‘Arrest her,’ Velindur shouted.

  Two guards stepped forward.

  ‘Enough!’ shouted Hynad. ‘I can no longer allow this to continue. The prisoners were telling the truth. They expected to be welcomed here, not imprisoned. They thought they could have fun at the festival and eat their fill as we used to do in happier times. It is true that the Western Gateway has been opened and the Cauldron has been remade. We can thank the raven-boy, Jack Brenin for that.’

  Jack heard his name but couldn’t speak, there didn’t seem to be anything Hynad could do to make anything better, but still she went on speaking. The crowd stood wide-eyed. No one challenged her, no one interrupted.

  ‘The Queen is alive and well.’

  ‘Another lie, Annwn no longer has a Queen. I am your sovereign,’ shouted Velindur.

  Hynad lowered her hood. Her silver crown glinted in the sunlight. The crowd fell silent. She turned around to face Velindur.

  ‘I tell you again, the Queen is well.’

  ‘Coragwenelan!’ he gasped.

  ‘The Queen,’ the crowd shouted.

  Nora whispered something to Jack but there was so much noise he couldn’t hear. He wanted to escape, to fly home, to be anywhere other than here. The Queen continued speaking. She raised her voice above the crowd so they could all hear.

  ‘I pleaded with you to be lenient, to be just and fair. You accused the prisoners unjustly. You were plotting to rid Annwn of the Blessed Council and you must answer for your crime.’

  ‘I wasn’t wrong; the boy is dead. You have no proof of the crime you accuse me of.’

  Jack knew it was time to speak. He flew back onto the bar, threw back his head and made the call of the raven-owl. The crowd fell silent.

  ‘I heard Velindur planning to be rid of Gwillam. He said if he was out of the way the Blessed Council would do as he wanted.’

  ‘The raven has the right to demand you face the Spear for the injustices you brought upon him. What is it to be Velindur, will you face the Light of Truth or choose banishment from Annwn forever?’, asked the Queen.

  Velindur lunged at the Queen but Gwillam was quicker and brought his staff between them.

  ‘What will it be, Velindur?’

  ‘I am the King, you cannot just walk in here and take over. If it hadn’t been for me Annwn would have been ransacked. I closed the portals and kept our land safe. You should be bowing down to me instead of threatening me with punishment.’

  ‘Let the people decide,’ said the Queen. ‘I offer you peace and prosperity. Now I am whole again, we can once more open the portals. We can again be the happy realm we used to be. The Earth has changed, we are no longer under threat. Humankind has no interest in us anymore.’

  ‘The Earth has not changed. People are selfish, there has never been anyone born on Earth who has done a selfless act.’

  ‘I dispute that,’ said Nora.

  ‘Do you know of a selfless mortal?’

  ‘I do, he stands before you now.’

  The people looked around to see who Nora meant.

  ‘Jack Brenin was granted the power of Annwn by Arrana.’

  Cries of amazement came from the crowd.

  ‘For his courage, bravery and selflessness in helping us to restore the Cauldron of Life, Arrana granted him a wish.’

  Velindur laughed.

  ‘He probably helped you so he could come and plunder Annwn once you’d opened Glasruhen Gate. What could he possibly have asked for that wasn’t selfish.’

  ‘He asked for a lath for Camelin.’

  The crowd murmured and fell silent as Nora continued.

  ‘A totally selfless act.’

  ‘Why didn’t he ask for a lath for himself?’

  ‘He didn’t need to. He’d already been granted one by Arrana.’

  ‘You have no proof this.’

  ‘Oh but we have,’ said Nora as she produced Jack’s wand. She held it high for all to see then placed it in Jack’s beak. It immediately became smooth.

  The Queen turned again to the crowd.

  ‘It is your decision: King or Queen?’

  ‘Queen, Queen, Queen,’ the crowd chanted.

  Coragwenelan bowed to the crowd and then turned to Velindur.

  ‘The Spear of Justice or banishment?’

  ‘You won’t get rid of me that easily. You’re all going to be sorry for treating me like this. One day I’ll have my revenge, you’ll see.’

  ‘I presume you choose to be banished then?’

  ‘You leave me with little choice. I will not face the Spear.’

  Coragwenelan produced her own wand and Gwillam took a small jar from his pocket.

  ‘Vespula,’ the Queen cried as she aimed her wand at Velindur.

  He wobbled from side to side as he began to shrink. Gwillam took the lid off the jar and waited until the transformation was complete and a small wasp emerged from the scarlet cloak which lay on the floor. He captured the angry creature, closed the lid and passed the jar to one of the Blessed Council to look after.

  ‘We’ll deal with him later. For now we have more important things to attend to,’ said Gwillam as he made his way over to Camelin.

  ‘Everything’s going to be alright now,’ Nora told Jack.

  Jack didn’t see how anything could ever be right again. Camelin had sacrificed himself; he’d lost his best friend. He suddenly felt exhausted. He hopped down to the floor.

  ‘What happened?’ groaned Camelin.

  ‘You’re alive!’ cried Jack. ‘But how?’

  Tears of joy replaced Jack’s tears of sorrow. Camelin sat up slowly and shook his head. He felt his chest then checked his arms and legs.

  ‘I feel really dizzy.’

  ‘You’ll be fine,’ Nora assured him. ‘You’ve had quite a jolt but in a couple of hours you’ll be your usual self again.’

  Jack was speechless. He was overjoyed that Camelin wasn’t hurt. Nora stood and began to explain.

  ‘I’m sorry Jack. When I came over I tried to tell you he was only stunned, but you couldn’t hear me. Then everything happened so fast. Camelin only spoke the truth. He even admitted he’d eaten the sausages. The Spear of Justice could not harm him.’

  ‘I told the truth too. I’d have been alright,

  wouldn’t I?’

  ‘I couldn’t let you take that chance,’ Camelin replied. ‘It was my fault we got into trouble.’

  ‘We’ll talk about this later,’ said Nora. ‘Now I think it’s time we all went back to Gwillam’s house for a rest before the Festival tonight. It’s been quite a day.’

  ‘Festival?’ said Camelin. ‘As in we can go round the fair and have some fun?’

  ‘When I’m sure you’re both alright,’ agreed Nora.

  ‘I feel better already,’ said Camelin.

  ‘Me too,’ agreed Jack.

  ‘I’d like you all to come to my garden before you go back to the village,’ said Coragwenelan. ‘I have something very special to show you. Timmery, Charkle and Elan will be there too.’

  ‘To the garden then,’ said Gwillam.

  They all followed the Queen out of the Council Chamber.

  LITTLE ACORNS

  Jack’s heart was still beating wildly as they made their way back to the Queen’s garden. The strain of the last few hours had drained him of energy. He hadn’t had the jolt Camelin had received from the Spear but he still felt dizzy. He was also hungry; it was well past lunchtime. The smell of food wafting on the breeze and his growling stomac
h confirmed that he needed to eat.

  ‘Was that you?’ asked Camelin.

  ‘Sorry,’ Jack replied. ‘I could eat a mountain, I’m that hungry.’

  ‘Don’t worry I’ll get you some food.’

  Jack wondered if Camelin was going to do his shuffle dance to impress everyone, but he somehow didn’t think it would be as good, now he was a boy. Camelin stopped, put his hand to his head and wailed.

  ‘Oooh! I feel so dizzy, I think I need food.’

  Nora fussed around and supported him under his arm.

  ‘It won’t be long. I’m sure we can ask for something from the Queen’s kitchen. Do you think you can make it that far?’

  ‘I think so,’ Camelin replied in his wobbliest voice.

  They’d dropped behind the rest, but Nora didn’t hurry to catch up.

  ‘Are you two alright now?’

  ‘Yes,’ Jack replied and gave Camelin a look so he wouldn’t overact too much.

  ‘We had no idea how the trial was going to go. All we’d had was a message from the Queen. Only Gwillam and I knew she was going to represent you. We just put our trust in you to tell the truth, and you did. You were so brave inside the Council Chamber.’

  ‘So brave,’ echoed two voices from above.

  Jack looked up. Hesta and Winver were perched on the wall. They giggled when Camelin went red.

  ‘The Queen sent us to tell you dinner’s ready,’ said Hesta.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ said Nora. ‘Camelin’s still not feeling very well. We’ll get there as soon as we can.’

  ‘We’d better hurry,’ said Jack. ‘We don’t want it all to be gone by the time we get there.’

  ‘Oh it won’t be gone,’ replied Winver. ‘You two are the guests of honour and they won’t start without you.’

  The garden looked slightly different. A long trestle table, laden with all kinds of food, stood under the shade of the apple trees now.

  ‘Oh wow! Look at all that food!’ exclaimed Jack. ‘Aren’t you excited Camelin?’

  ‘I would be if I was a raven again, I’d really enjoy that lot. Now, I’m hungry, but not like I used to be. Food just doesn’t taste as good anymore. And I don’t like not being able to fly. Now we’re free we can explore but it won’t be the same if I have to walk.’

  Gwillam overheard and, looking sad said: ‘I thought you’d decided to be my acolyte again and finish your training.’