Chapter Three - A New World

The first sensation she had was of falling and she began to feel as if she was being compressed and crushed. Her breath seemed to be fire in her lungs and her heart constricted painfully. In her mind's eye, she could see a dark, man-shaped hole of nothingness. She felt herself start to panic, but almost at once, she felt something brush gently against her mind calming her. The crushing feeling subsided and she realised she was drifting in white-gold light.  Before she knew what was happening, she was walking out of the light and into an alien world.1

She blinked as brightness washed over her, dazzling her eyes and filling her vision with dancing afterimages. As her sight cleared, she was aware that the air was much warmer. Gone were the snow covered moors of a few moments ago, instead, all around her, was verdant countryside. A humid breeze was blowing from the east, rustling the tips of the distant trees and the sky was blood red with the setting sun. She was standing on a high hill, a vast valley spread out below her full of heather and gorse. Away to the east, a desert wasteland burned under the setting sun, and to the west, was a myriad of sparkling lights that must be the sea. She turned and saw, standing stark against the red sky, the uneven peaks of high mountains looming like frozen giants over the earth.2

The valley below her was covered in trees and the leaves were lifting towards the sun, the green and yellow turned to red and orange in that mystical light. The blood-red rays lit upon the river, winding its way northward like a flowing purple serpent.3

Daenan rested a hand on her shoulder, but she could not tear herself away from the sight of the land all around her. Used to the grey and brown sparseness of the moors, Rebecca was not used to so much greenness. There on the hill, she had the first tentative feelings of belonging. She was instantly enamoured with this new world.4

‘Are you alright?' Daenan's grip was suddenly firmer on her shoulder. He was looking down at her in concern.5

‘Yes,' she said with a slight hesitation. ‘I just felt a little disorientated.'6

He nodded. ‘The travelling takes most in that way the first time. It becomes easier.' 7

She noticed his eyes were a deep green, reflective of the countryside around them. She watched as he traced some more signs in the air and then turned back towards her. ‘We must move from here.' He started down the hillside, and reluctantly, she followed him.8

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The ground was firm and it was easy to walk. Despite the fact that it was alien world, Rebecca could already sense many similarities. The first fluttering of nervousness began as they wound their way down the hill towards the earthen road at the bottom. She did not know where he was taking her, or what he would expect her to do. It was strange to be in sunlight and warmth after weeks of winter. The sun was sinking lower and it was getting cold, she was aware that Daenan hurrying and sensed that it would be well to be under cover before dark.10

They reached the bottom of the hill, and at the end of the road, half-hidden by the trees, Rebecca saw a castle. The last of the sunset touched the stones, turrets and pinnacles, infusing them with a rosy pink glow and the windows shone. It was not cold or forbidding, like castles in books, but rather warm and welcoming. She wondered how a fairytale place such as this could have survived the destruction of the war.11

As they made level ground, Daenan halted on the road. ‘Be quiet,' he murmured and put a hand on her arm in warning.12

The road before them seemed empty and she could not see what it was that had alarmed him. Daenan stepped forward. ‘Show yourselves!' He cried out in a low voice.13

The air across the road seemed to shimmer like heat haze. There was a rippling of air and then, a few paces ahead of them, a man appeared. He was wearing breeches and a thin shirt, his hair was red and hung to his shoulders. In his hand hung a bow with one arrow nocked to the string. More arrows sat in a pouch slung across his back. Behind him were three white horses each with a groom. 14

‘Daenan!' The red-haired man strode forward, arms wide in welcome. He had released the bowstring and the arrow was back in its pouch. The bow hung casually over one shoulder.15

‘Staefan! You are well-met, brother.' Daenan embraced the man, but his gaze had already shifted to Rebecca. ‘The Haithra,' he breathed and was on his knees in a moment. ‘Mairwen told us, but I did not think it could be possible. My lady, we have waited for so long for this moment.'16

To her extreme embarrassment, she saw tears glistening in his eyes. The grooms were also on their knees. She turned to Daenan with a panicked expression on her face. Daenan's face was tight with suppressed frustration. He hauled Staefan to his knees. ‘Forgive my brother, Rebecca, he overexcites himself.'17

Rebecca said nothing, feeling confused and hot with embarrassment. The light was beginning to fade now, and she hoped her red cheeks were not too obvious.18

Staefan glared at his brother, his face nearly the colour of his hair. ‘You forget yourself, she is our longed-for queen and you should show more respect.'19

‘Queen?' She turned to Daenan in surprise.20

‘Yes, I thought you realised. I told you, your mother was our queen, you are her last child, the throne is yours.' He was annoyingly calm.21

‘But...' She started to say that he had to be wrong and then realised that it was far too late for protests. 22

Meanwhile, Staefan was motioning the grooms closer. Daenan ignored her obvious discomfort and motioned to the horses. She hesitated, she had never ridden a horse in her life and she had no idea what to do. The groom was standing there waiting, holding the horse with a neutral expression on his face. His eyes told a different story. In them, she could see the same look that Staefan had given her. Desperation, hope and reverence all at once. 23

She averted her eyes and looked towards Daenan. His face wore an amused expression. She realised that all she had read on the faces of Staefan and his grooms had been evident on Daenan's face last night. Only now, away from danger did he seem more relaxed, but she could still sense that same reverence and desperation.24

Daenan swung himself into the saddle of the horse next to her and smiled at her disconcertion. ‘Staefan, help Rebecca to mount.' 25

Staefan came forward and laced his fingers. Hesitating for a moment, she placed her foot into the brown and callused hands. She was aware that he was staring at her shoes. They were certainly different from anything else he had probably seen. She managed to swing herself up into the saddle and clung to the reins in terror. Daenan leant forward and whispered in her ear. ‘The groom will lead, just hold on, if in doubt, grip tightly with your legs.'26

Rebecca felt this was easier said than done considering how high she was from the ground. When the horse moved forward, she felt very unsteady. The motion of the horse was totally unfamiliar to her, but gradually she began to fall into the rhythm and movement of the horse.27

They were nearly at the castle when the company halted. The men stood staring up at the rose red sky. High above them, an eagle wheeled, silhouetted against the fading light.28

‘Sire?' One of the attendants asked nervously. He looked very uncomfortable and was half reaching for the bow slung across his back. Staefan had already nocked an arrow to his bowstring.29

‘It's impossible to tell, it could be one of ours. Staefan, your thoughts?' 30

Staefan shook his head. ‘You are right; there is no way to tell unless it harms us.' He motioned with his hand and instantly, the three grooms had their bows trained towards the sky.31

Daenan's horse shifted uneasily and snorted. It turned in a circle, obviously sensing the tension from its rider. ‘Easy, Pegasus.' Daenan tightened the grip on his reins and leaned towards Rebecca. ‘When I give the word, ride towards the castle as fast as you can. If you dig your heels in hard the horse will gallop. Hold on to its neck and you should stay on.'32

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Rebecca nodded, glancing at the castle and marking the distance she would have to travel. It was far more than she would have liked, at least a quarter of a mile. She looked up at the bird, narrowing her eyes to see it better. As soon as she did, the eagle stopped its complicated dance and hovered. She had the strangest feeling that it was looking right at her.34

For a long moment, bird and girl stared hard at each other. She could make out each golden brown feather and the one liquid eye fixed immovably on her. Somehow, though she did not know how, she was becoming more and more certain that it meant them no harm.35

And then, in one swift movement, it dived, plummeting straight towards her.36

Daenan was yelling at her, telling her to go, but she could not move. From a great distance she heard Staefan order his archers to fire, saw him pull back the string and aim. She saw the slim shafts of wood as they flew past her and heard the twang of bowstrings.37

Something inside her seemed to snap and then there was wind rushing past her, ruffling her feathers, she saw the arrows again, but this time they were coming straight towards her. They were one, the eagle and the girl and as one, they swerved to avoid the arrows. Then she was back on the ground, in her own body, slumped across the saddle. The eagle landed before them, unhurt and she heard the creaking of four bows as they drew back their arrows.38

She sat up and saw that Daenan was staring at her. He turned his attention back to the eagle and saw him jerk in his seat. ‘Don't fire!' He reached out and placed his hand on Staefan's wrist. ‘Look at the markings on her back.'39

Staefan lowered his bow, slowly and with some reluctance. ‘How can you be sure?'40

There was a whirl of feathers, the eagle rippled and standing before them was a tall woman, brown hair down her back, sharp features and liquid eyes.41

‘Mairwen.' Daenan let out a sigh of relief. The archers immediately stood down and shouldered their bows.42

The woman had a look of pure fury on her face. ‘What do you mean by allowing your men to attack me? And how did this scrap of a girl manage to body-bond with me?'43

Daenan's voice was low and calm when he spoke. ‘Mairwen, this scrap of a girl is the Haithra.'44

Mairwen looked horrified; she went instantly to her knees and bowed her head. ‘Of course. Forgive me, my lady.'45

‘Please! I wish everyone would stop doing that. There is no need to kneel.'46

Mairwen rose to her feet. Daenan was staring at Rebecca with a look of intent interest on his face. He turned back to Mairwen. ‘She entered your mind?'47

‘She did more than that! I told you, she body-bonded with me. She was in complete control.' 48

Staefan leaned forward in his saddle, eyebrows raised. Daenan was staring at her again. He seemed about to say something and then stopped. ‘It is not safe here. We can discuss this back at the castle.' He held his hand towards Mairwen, but she shook her head.49

‘I'll go by my own means.' She did not look at Rebecca again and she sensed that for all her courtesy, she did not like her very much. Mairwen stretched out her arms, her length of hair covering them almost completely and then in a moment, they were wings and she was soaring upwards with a defiant shriek.50

Daenan watched her go with an audible sigh. Without another word, he kicked his horse into a gallop and started down the dusty road. Rebecca could do nothing but allow the groom to lead her horse after him.51

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They rode into the castle courtyard just as the sun sank below the horizon and the world began to darken. As soon as they entered the courtyard, the great wooden doors slammed shut, the iron bars were hauled into place and the portcullis lowered.55

Daenan was waiting for them as they arrived and took the reins of Rebecca's horse. She swung a leg over the saddle and for a horrible moment was suspended there, half over the horse, half over the ground, unsure which way to go. Daenan's hands took her by her waist and set her on her feet. ‘You'll get used to it.' He said, but his manner seemed almost cold. He strode towards a door and Rebecca followed him.56

They entered a small ante-room where a waiting man-servant took Daenan's cloak. A narrow flight of stairs led up to a long corridor and Daenan led her up several more staircases and into more hallways before they reached several doors on a landing. ‘I brought you this way because I thought it would be easier. No doubt, a gaggle of council members, castle courtiers and other people would have been waiting to accost you if we had come in by the main door.57

He opened the door and showed her into a suite of rooms. Plainly furnished, but comfortable, a fire was blazing in the hearth and the room was warm. Rebecca sank onto a sofa and closed her eyes feeling exhausted. So much had happened in so short a time.58

Daenan did not sit down, he looked down at her with a stern expression. ‘Do you have any idea of the danger you could have been in?'59

‘When?' She felt too sleepy to argue, or even to be able to answer his questions.60

‘When I told you to go and you stayed.' A note of anger had crept into his voice now. His eyes had changed to a grey-blue that was somewhat unnerving.61

‘I was in no danger and I had no choice. I couldn't move.'62

‘How could you know that? Some of our most gifted people could not tell an enemy from a friend.'63

Rebecca opened her mouth to argue and abruptly shut it again. Daenan also stopped mid-track and then nodded. ‘No, don't say anything.' He held up his hand. ‘You're right.' He sat down next to her. ‘I was taken by surprise, what you did was both difficult and dangerous. I have been charged to bring you here alive, I have spent so long trying to find you, to protect you and it nearly was for nothing.'64

‘I didn't do it on purpose, you know. It took me as much by surprise as it did you and Mairwen.' She stared at the carpet, noticing the little patterns in it. Here and there a many-rayed sun appeared, identical to the one she had seen branded on her hand after her vision.65

‘I know. Our enemies are adept at disguise; we were expecting some sort of attempt today as they will have sensed our arrival. That is the reason why Staefan and his entourage accompanied us. And I had forgotten how disorientating travel between worlds can be. It was dawn when we left your world and sunset here. A whole day has passed that you have not experienced. I think perhaps it would be best if you had some rest. We can discuss things more clearly later. This has been a difficult time for you. Now you have come back, you will probably find that you will be able to do a great many things you thought impossible in your own world.'66

Rebecca nodded too worn out to be able to answer him. Gently, he helped her into the bedroom and she lay on the bed, unable to find the energy to undress. He placed a blanket over her and touched her forehead with his hand. The last thing she heard before she felt into a deep sleep was the soft click of the door closing.