The Dreamweaver

by Nancy Joseph Peterson

  Before he could begin any sort of new life with Anna, Emrys mused, he needed to help the people who, in this time, relied on his skills as a necromancer and sage. It was after all, a strong likelihood that Nivane was tormenting them to further punish Emrys.

  In the far corner sat a vat, not dissimilar from the one in the dreamweavers workroom, it’s contents still active and swirling ominously, waiting for his instructions. Good, thought Emrys grimly, I may yet have need of it tonight.

  Emrys turned as the door to his workroom began to open, "Emrys? Came Anna's soft voice from the other side of the doorway, "May I come in?" She asked politely.

  Emrys smiled, only Anna would be so bold as to even climb those stairs when he was in this room, "Yes, of course, you are as welcome here as anywhere in this house." Emrys replied.

  Anna entered, she was a vision. Dressed in white, her hair a halo of spun gold that flowed over her shoulders to the middle of her back, her face flushed with excitement, and green eyes wide with wonder, she exclaimed, “Oh, Emrys! This is EXACTLY how I’d imagined Merlins laboratory to look!”

  She ran her fingers over the crystal balls, gazing in wonder at the shadowy images that continuously floated within them, “These are real…actual crystal balls, can you actually see the future in them?”

  “Yes, but it is much more fun to visit the future instead of just looking at it through a blurry ball, I just use those to impress pretty girls from twenty-first century New York.” He teased.

  Anna turned and playfully punched Emrys in his arm, “Well, it works - I am impressed!”

  Her face lit up with joy as she spied the floor to ceiling bookshelves that covered every wall of the enormous room, at least twenty feet in height, with ladders on little wheels to reach the upper levels, it was a spectacular sight to Anna.

  "Emrys, I love books too, and some of these look so old. Astonishing…” She whispered reverently as she ran her fingertips over some of the ancient bindings.

  Emrys smiled to himself, privately remembering a few of the books he’d read from Anna’s personal library.

  “I don’t know if you’d like most of them, but feel free to pull down any you'd like to read or examine, Anna. And yes, they are old. Some older than your modern anthropologists would believe possible."

  Emrys motioned towards a particularly cracked clay tablet, "That one is from early Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium BC. It was originally intended to be entombed with a King, but his scribe allowed me to have it as it contained important scientific findings from the time, and clearly the dead King wasn’t going to miss it.”

  Anna was dumbfounded, "I will never get used to the things you tell me so casually, Emrys." She shook her head in wonder, "I know you could explain how you could have been around in Mesopotamia, but I'll just get a headache trying to understand it, so I'll just say,‘oaky-doaky.'” She smiled, "You really don't mind if I look at some of these?” She asked scanning the titles she could read and wishing she’d paid more attention during college European history.

  "No, certainly not,” Emrys smiled,“all that I would ask is that you don’t bother the vat in the corner, or any of the items on the tables near the windows. Some of them are..." He searched for the right word, ‘unstable.'” Emrys reached out to hold her hand, "Did you see Carwyn on your way up here?"

  “Carwyn showed me to the bedroom earlier so I could freshen up a bit before dinner, I’m wearing the gown you bought me.” Anna stepped back a pace and twirled, "Do you like it?" She asked smiling girlishly at Emrys.

  "Yes I do, but not as much as who’s in it." He flirted, winking at Anna. Truth be told, he'd never seen a sight more beautiful… or more precious.

  Anna blushed prettily, smiling shyly, "I didn't see you in the big room downstairs, so I came here, oh, and to answer your earlier question, No, I didn't see Carwyn.”

  "She must have left then. I imagine, knowing Carwyn, the stew is ready in the pot with fresh bread and butter on the table."

  Anna's stomach growled loudly, “Oh! Excuse me, Emrys," Anna wrapped her arms around her noisy tummy, “But it reminds me of another question, do we need to eat or to sleep while we’re here?”

  Emrys grinned, "Well I think your stomach just answered one of those questions." He replied as he led Anna out of the room and down the stairs, ”Sleeping may not be as important for you because your spirit-self, or psyche if you prefer, will feel quite rested as an element of it is currently sleeping soundly. All that said, your body here may grow weary and so you may need to rest your eyes for a bit, but I suspect you'll not spend much time sleeping.” He rationalised, "Just let your body to the talking for you, Anna. Just like your tummy did a moment ago." He added with amusement.

  Anna smiled, looking up at Emrys as they entered the main room of the crannog, "You sit over there," Emrys said nodding towards the long table, "and I'll serve you something special."

  Anna walked to the table seating herself on a cushioned bench. In the centre of the table, Carwyn had left still warm crusty rolls in a basket, a huge slab of creamy butter along with a pewter pitcher of something that smelled sweet.

  “Would you please pour two glasses of wine into the goblets, Anna?” Emrys asked from across the room, answering Anna's question as to what was in the pitcher.

  Anna poured two full goblets of wine and cut the rolls into manageable slices for both she and Emrys. She was just placing the sliced bread and globs of butter onto two small plates as Emrys set the steaming bowls of stew on the table.

  “Smells fantastic!" Anna exclaimed, bending over the bowl and breathing in with relish.

  "Yes, Emrys agreed, “It certainly does, it’s a speciality of Carwyn’s; venison stew."

  Anna paled,“Oh! Not the beautiful deer we saw today I hope? She asked dismayed.

  "No," Emrys laughed,"This was made from red deer, they breed in abundance here, almost overrunning the fields. The stag you saw earlier is revered. They’re rare, even in this time, so much so that people actually consider them to be a deity of sorts.”

  Anna was relieved, as she tentatively took a small bite, "I think I remember reading something about that. A Celtic legend I think? Maybe Wiccan - a deity called Cernunnos or was it 'The Horned One,’ is that right?”

  "Well, done, Anna!" Emrys exclaimed, suitably impressed, "I think you're correct. Although they don't call him Cernunnos here, they do use the term 'the Horned One.'" He answered as he dipped his bread into the broth of his stew.

  Anna smiled, proud that she'd remembered something from the era, "This is delicious, Emrys. The flavours are intense, I'd have thought food in this time would’ve been bland." She took a big swallow of her drink and choked, "What IS that?” Anna sputtered, suffering a quick head-rush from the strong alcohol in the drink.

  Emrys laughed, taking a smaller sip, "Mead, my love. It is elderflower wine that is infused with honey. Strong stuff, but if you sip it slowly, I think you'll grow to like it".

  Anna tried another sip, and it went down much more smoothly than the first. It was good, very sweet but the alcohol content was strong — she decided to drink it very slowly. "The bread is wonderful too - I really didn't realise how hungry I was.”

  Emrys sat back in his chair, watching Anna's enjoyment of her meal, "I am so glad you're here Anna. I’ve never really had anyone I could spend time with so effortlessly as you." This must be what the poets and bards meant when they wrote volumes on the joys of love, he thought wryly, he'd never known before, "Most people come to me seeking advice or wanting me to do something to help them out of a problem they've gotten themselves into. I am a counsellor to many, but have few to whom I can go to for counsel.” Emrys said without feeling sorry for himself.

  Anna stopped eating, regarding his somber face, "I wish we could’ve met before, under less...unusual circumstances." Anna murmured, “I’m sure we'd have been good friends.” Or more she thought to herself. She added shyly, "If you ever want to talk, about anything that is important to you, p
lease know I can be a good listener. I don't know how much help I would be, but I'd listen and try to help anyway." She took another sip from her goblet, as she considered her words carefully, "You are an enigma to me, Emrys. There is so much to you; your fantastic mind and enthusiasm for teaching. And I’ve seen your protective nature, loyalty, and kindness too; it is no wonder people come to you for help and wisdom. I don't know of anyone like you in my time. There are genius’ and people who are dedicated to helping others; but I don’t know anyone who is both as you are.”

  Emrys blinked at Anna, his throat suddenly feeling tight, "Thank you, Anna, for your kind words. I wish to be as good a man as you see in me always and in all things. I am afraid I have not always been as good a man as I could have been; I’ve made mistakes.” He admitted.

  Anna regarded him evenly as she sliced into another bread roll, giving half to Emrys, "I am not so naive to believe you’re perfect — no one, with the life you’ve had could be. But, you are good — I can feel the goodness in you. Even if some of the things you have done were not always good. It is important to separate the two." She spoke with the wisdom of a woman who was falling in love, "I have regrets too, and I've only lived 24 years — and that was in 'linear time’ that was influenced by graviton particles.” She quipped cheekily smiling at Emrys.

  Emrys laughed with delight, "Anna, you amaze me! You did listen to my rambling diatribes! And your twenty-four years of 'linear time' have made you far wiser than many with ten-fold that in multi-dimensional time." He said admiringly, "You should never underrate yourself, Anna. You are an intelligent, open-minded, trusting woman with great capacity for learning. There is far more to you than the beauty you wear so well. I should know.” He reached across the table to rub Anna’s hand, “Anyone who does not see the true worth lying beneath your beguilingly lovely exterior isn't looking hard enough."

  Anna's eyes spilled over, she daubed at them with an edge of her shawl, "That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, Emrys. Thank you." She whispered softly, and it did mean a lot to her. Many people, especially men underestimated her intelligence, only seeing her blond hair and curvy body.

  “I have something for you,” Emrys announced, pulling a small pouch from his pocket, “it’s a silver ring that belonged to my mother. I never knew her, she died when I was but a baby. I was given it by my teacher who looked after me for my first few years.”

  Emrys withdrew a small ring from the pouch and held it out to Anna, “It is an early form of a Claddagh from Ireland, where she must have been from.”

  “Emrys, I can’t take your mother’s ring… it is too much, far too valuable, you’ve only just met me.” Anna stammered, shaking her head.

  “Anna, you’ve meant more to me in these happy hours than people I have known for many hundreds of years.” Emrys knew his feelings were far deeper than he was prepared to admit, but he didn’t want to scare her by moving too fast, “Remember time means little to me, I know how quickly it actually moves, I’ve learned it is the present that matters most; the here and now. I want you to have it." His eyes sparkled with sincerity, "It would please me greatly to see it on your finger.” That said, he took Anna’s left hand and slid the ring onto her slender finger, raising her hand and gently kissing the ring into place.

  Her eyes suddenly blurry from the tears that had sprung into them, with a lump in her throat she could only nod silently.

  They spent the remainder of their meal quietly, stealing glances at each other like children, smiling between bites.

  Emrys had just refiled their two goblets when a loud knock came to the door of the crannog.

  "That will be Cador and company. Anna you are welcome to stay, or go to your room to rest, I will leave it to you." Emrys hurried, peering out a small peep-hole before opening the short door to let in Cador and several other men.

  Anna quickly cleared the table of the bowls and plates, carrying them to a sideboard where a large covered basket was left to hold the dirty dishes. She’d wash them in the morning to save Carwyn the trouble, she thought to herself as she loaded them into the basket carefully.

  Anna found more mead and a barrel of ale that was tapped and ready, busying herself filling tankards of drink for the men as they spread maps on the table, and settled themselves to discuss the situation at hand.

  Emrys nodded at Anna appreciatively, indicating a comfortable chair covered in a furry goat skin to his side, "You are welcome to sit here, Anna if you'd like."

  Anna nodded, and pouring herself another goblet of mead, she settled into the chair tucking her feet under her bottom to listen to the men.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  NIghttime Whispers

  “First, before we get started, let me introduce you the Lady Anna, from York.” Emrys said to the group of four men that had gathered around the table.

  They nodded in Anna’s direction, “Cador you have met,” Emrys said to Anna, “and this is Anyon, the blacksmith from the village who sold me the horses this afternoon.” A very large man, with bright red hair and skin to match, rose briefly from his chair and nodded to Anna amiably.

  “And this, I am pleased to say, is Blaise, from Northumberland. He was my teacher and mentor for many years. I am both surprised to find him here, and delighted to have the opportunity to introduce him to you.” Emrys had been shocked when he opened the door and Blaise had walked in with a twinkle in his eye. It was a measure of the gravity of the situation that he’d traveled so far to help the villagers.

  A man about the age of her father stood, and walked around the table to stand in front of Anna. She hastily jumped to her feet as Blaise bowed slightly to her and took her hands in his, “I am truly honoured, Lady Anna, Emrys has long been special to me, and I am delighted that he has found someone as lovely as you to share his life and home.”

  “Oh, no…” Anna stammered, we’re not sharing anything! I’m just visiting for a while.” Anna exclaimed, looking at Emrys for support, “But I am very pleased to meet you.” Anna demurred, with a brief curtsy as an afterthought.

  Emrys moved to Anna’s side to hold her hand reassuringly, “Yes, Anna is here only for a short time I fear, but as you and I both know, time has a way of changing both events and the people in them.” Emrys looked at Anna with unreserved tenderness, raising her hand to his lips and kissing her wrist meaningfully.

  Blaise nodded in approval as he noted Anna’s eyes closing briefly in pleasure at Emrys touch. “Whatever amount of time you and Emrys have between you, I trust it will be time well spent, Lady Anna.” Noting the ring on Anna's finger, he winked at Emrys as he made his has back to the table.

  “And finally, let me introduce Alun, Carwyn’s husband.” Emrys nodded to an older man, who rose to come to Anna’s side, “This is the lucky man who gets to eat Carwyn’s cooking every day.” Emrys said as he gave him a robust pat on the back.

  Alun reached out, taking Anna’s hand, “Carwyn told me all about you.” Alun said with a catch in his voice, “You are most welcome here Lady Anna, I hope you’re able to stay a good long time, we are grateful to have our Emrys back.” He leaned in closer to her so he could whisper conspiratorially, “And I’ve never seen him so happy.” The old man’s face crinkled in a warm smile.

  Anna blushed, “Tell Carwyn thank you, supper was wonderful and everything she did to make me feel welcome was so kind. I hope to see her again tomorrow and thank her myself.”

  Alun nodded, clearly pleased with Anna's appreciation of his wife's hard work, “I am sure you’ll see her again very soon, she couldn’t stop talking about you, and you’re every bit as lovely as she said you’d be.” His eyes twinkling as he returned to his seat.

  “It is so nice to meet all of you, and please, call me Anna, not ‘Lady Anna’ — it sounds far too formal.” Anna smiled at the men, and looking under her lashes at Emrys shyly added, “And I hope to stay here as long as I am able.”

  “May I refill your drinks?” Anna asked as the men began to settle
around the table again. When they declined, telling her not to worry and they could serve themselves, Anna rose from her chair, “I don’t think I’ll stay for your meeting after all - I don’t want to get in the way or cause you to waste time explaining details to me. I understand you have very important things to discuss tonight.”

  Emrys nodded appreciatively, “Perhaps it is for the best, Anna. If you’d like, you can go to my workroom and find a book to take to your room.” He stood and walked to the sideboard, lifting a beeswax candle with a glass hurricane cover, “Take this to light your way and for reading upstairs.”

  As the men began to discuss the matters at hand, Emrys walked Anna to the foot of the stairway leading to his workroom, “This shouldn’t take too long, Anna. I’ll come up after they’ve gone to check on you. I think Carwyn left fresh water in your room, and you know about the chamber pot?” He asked quietly.