The Journey From Oidhche Shamhna

Disclaimer: Not Mine.

The Journey From Oidhche Shamhna

Chapter 31

A Decent Library

Laulen heard his name called, followed by the password, and ran to where he could watch the riverbank and still hide in its reeds. Again, he listened as his name came, and again he stepped closer and watched. He had no weapon, having left his wand in the cave. He looked around for something to use but only found small stones suitable for hunting.

He had a sling which he used on small animals, but that would do no good at this distance, or on men of this size. He crouched down, afraid and not knowing what do when he heard his mother's name called out to him. Putting his hand on the ground, not taking his eyes off the strange men that stood by his cave, he filled his pockets with the smooth river stones before standing again.

"Laulen, Peska has sent us. She gave the word to use. Eternal." Erwin stood, turning in a circle on the river's edge, just outside the cave she had drawn on the map. "Laulen, you are to take us to Mave."

Gryffin shook his head at the silence, knowing that each minute that went by could be costly to their mission to find Bretta. "Laulen please, we have no time for games," he called angrily.

Laulen took a deep breath and stepped out into the open. He puffed up his chest and held up his chin, trying to look older and larger than his years. He stood with his feet apart and arms crossed on his chest, trying to stand taller as he had seen his father do when threatened.

Gryffin looked at the slight boy who she said was thirteen but had the look of ten. He took in the long hair and tattered clothes and the way every bone of his neck and wrists clearly showed. He gazed at the hollow eyes and sunken cheeks. Four years, she had said. He saw the four years etched on the child's face and looked back at the cave, thinking of the horrors that would be his nights and the cold hunger of his days.

"My gods." Erwin's voice was soft. "Laulen. You have spent your last night here. Peska has found you a home, a safe home."

"I will not leave here without her." He raised his chin defiantly and tried to stop his shaking.

"You are to come with me, and we will collect her on our return. Laulen, there is a witch in trouble, trouble with Mave. We are here to find her."

The boy looked from wizard to wizard. Then, swallowing hard, he stepped forward until he was in front of them. "I have a wand. It was my father,s. I can move things with it."

Gryffin raised an eyebrow and looked at Erwin, who tried to hide his smile that such a slight child would set himself up to Mave's forces.

"Perhaps we will have use of you." Erwin smiled at the child. "Can you ride a broom?"

"I made one, and Peska said the charm. I have only gone over the fields." He chewed his lip and looked at them. "Will that be enough? I am fast. I think fast enough to keep up."

"If you have difficulty, call to me, I am Gry... I am Godric and this is Erwin."

"Godric?" The boy smiled widely and ran to the cave. "I knew you would come. I knew it. My father would talk of you as one who fought for our people."

Erwin and Gryffin looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders as the boy ran into the cave.

"It appears I travel with the famous." Erwin smirked.

"Erwin, in your search have you ever come to this island?"

"No, I was told no magical clans were here." He looked around at the muddy riverbank. "Four years he has waited and we did not even know to look. Could there be more in this place?"

"I am ready." Laulen stood in front of them, holding a broom and shoving a wand in his pocket. "I will take you to Mave. It is only a few minutes from here. There, over that peak. I will show you where she throws the people away."

"Throws..." Erwin turned to Gryffin.

"Mave will not cross the line and kill the wizards that have not drawn a wand. She throws them away after the torture," Gryffin sneered.

"I have kept their names," Laulen said proudly. "I will keep them until Peska can send them to the gods. She says it is something we must do."

"Your Peska says many things," Gryffin said evenly. "She is a strong witch, this mother of yours."

"Father was the strong one. She says she is too weak to care for me proper." Laulen swallowed hard and looked back at the cave. "She would not take his wand."

"A wizard needs a wand to fight in these uncertain times." Erwin walked up and laid a hand on his shoulder. "She is safe. We will make sure she joins you. Now come, we have little time."

"Is she still at ... at that place?" He looked up with the eyes of a child that had seen too much to see Erwin's nod.

"Laulen, do not judge her nor feel ashamed of her. She has done what she must."

He watched the boy run the back of his hand across his nose and look back at the cave as he fought not to cry. Then they walked over to where Gryffin stood with his broom.

They mounted and flew to the top of the peak that Laulen had shown them. Hovering near the top, they looked to where the lad's finger pointed and saw the village fashioned in the old way of the clans.

"I expected a city of stone," Gryffin said.

"She comes here more then not." Laulen set down on the ground. "I can't keep the broom up. I don't think the spell can work for long at a time."

"The dead you spoke of, boy, where do they lay?" Erwin looked toward the village.

He looked to where the finger pointed and saw a mound of stone on the south side of the city. Then, seeing the finger move again, he followed it away from the mound to a dark patch at the bottom of the summit.

"They lay there until their spirit it gone." Laulen looked back to Gryffin. "That is where I go to learn the names."

"Will you go there again? We look for a witch, Bretta by name."

"I have not seen but one witch there. It was long ago, and I could not hear her name."

"This one has been gone for only two days."

Laulen looked at the bottom of the summit and back to the village. "Mave may have ... she does not like witches from the far side of the water. She says they are to blame for not hiding their magic, for letting men find them and fear the magic."

"What would she do, Laulen? Do you know?"

The boy shook his head. "I never go that close. I can feel it from here, the darkness. Even the bottom of the summit sickens me. I cannot use a broom to leave from that place. It is as if my magic it gone when my head swims. I have to climb back up and it takes a long time."

Erwin scowled as he knew if the boy was sickened by the very feel of evil he may be an Empath, useless in battle and to be kept from death. Yet the child clearly said he collected names to give to the gods no matter the sickness he felt.

"You will stay here, on the summit, do not go below, we can..."

"No, I am not a child. The sickness passes." He started to walk away and then turned back, his eyes pleading. "It will take me until almost dawn. Will you still wait for me?"

"I am afraid it may be you that must wait for us." Erwin again mounted his broom and pushed off the ground, shoving the tip of the handle down to fly to the bottom off the valley floor. He looked back to see Gryffin follow.

Gryffin went to the child and showed him how to hold the wand to cast a spell of light. He guided his hand for the incantation and instructed him in the proper words.

"It will take less magic. If you see us coming back this way, show it to us. We will not leave without you. You have my promise on this."

They made a direct flight to the outside of the village. Landing behind one of the dwellings, they shrunk their brooms and hid them in their robes. Erwin nodded to Gryffin as he skirted to the left, leaving Gryffin to take the right. Meeting in the front of the dwelling, they looked to the next structure and slowly proceeded, getting closer to the middle of the village with each search.

"It is not right. We should have seen some sign by now. It is as if no one lives here." Erwin crouched down low to the ground.

"There is no smoke." Gryffin pointed up to where the hole in the roof should be sending up smoke from the hearth. "Something is wrong here. None of the dwellings have life."

"We need to find her and leave quickly."

"We first must know what we are against. Keep watch."

Gryffin turned to the entrance of the dwelling. Pulling out his wand, he checked for wards and finding only simple spells, he lifted them and hurried inside. He held his goblin-made sword in front of him with both hands, moving it from side to side as he walked forward in the dark. He tried to see though the blackness, or to hear even the sightless sound.

Cursing to himself, he considered setting his sword aside and using his wand to light, the room unsure if he should release one hand. He hesitated only a moment before a familiar smell reached him.

"Lumos," he whispered, the wand suddenly in his hand, and saw before him long lines of dead. "Nox."

He stumbled out to where Erwin waited, hurrying to get away from the sight. Gasping for air, he took great gulps into his lungs.

"Death house," he said. "Death house for her forces. I was not expecting it."

"We should go back in and check for weapons."

"No, they are shrouded already. We need to search the rest of the dwellings we pass." Gryffin clenched his jaw and moved forward.

The next dwelling was full of supplies. Food, mead and gains filled the space. Erwin grinned at Gryffin and began ridding the stores with silent flicks of his wand. They found two more dwellings on either side of the first and did the same. The fifth dwelling they entered astounded them.

They had heard the story that Mave held knowledge unknown to the rest of the wizarding world. The story of her tomes including more then the Library at Alexandria was well known. Here were stacks of parchments sewn into books, scrolls of antiquity and the histories of each living tribe and those that were no more.

"My gods," Erwin whispered and lowered his wand. "How has even Mave amassed this?"

"She was the teacher before she turned. Before power took control and shaped her to this." Gryffin walked as far as he could into the dwelling, stopped by a solid wall of parchments. "I cannot destroy this."

"We cannot leave it for her."

"We will come back for it."

"If we leave here, you mean." Erwin laughed hollowly. "If we make it out she will hide this again, or destroy it herself as soon as they find the wards down."

Gryffin's shoulders slumped as the saw centuries of knowledge lost. Then suddenly his head snapped up.

"The elves. Erwin, I will go to the next dwelling. Call the elves and have them start taking what they can. Shrink everything you can. At least we will not lose it all."

Gryffin went quickly, inspecting dwellings and listening for any sounds, watching for any movements in the village. He found more death dwellings, places he could only think bodies of the loyal lay until they had a proper burial. The bodies were fresh, attesting to a recent battle. Gryffin hoped that their ranks had yet to be renewed.

He skirted around the dwellings, finding his way back to Erwin. Entering the dwelling he found the parchments almost gone, and those still there shrunken to small stacks, easily fitting into the small pouches carried by the elves which popped in and out, silently transporting the goods. He looked at the trembling elves and squatted down, signalling one over.

"If we are found out you and yours are free to leave at once."

"Yes, Master." The elf squeaked and looked around nervously. "They are bad things. They should not be taken."

"Knowledge is not bad. Only the use it is put to. We will keep it from Mave, and learn how to fight against it." He looked in to the elf's face and knew his words did no good. "Just hurry, and leave if you must. Helga would expect you to help."

The elf looked around at the stacks yet to move and turned back to Gryffin with a frown. "Rowena, maybe, but my Mistress Helga has no use for this."

Gryffin stood, feeling his lip twitch as the elf scurried off.

"Erwin, one more holds tombs, it is as the story was, of two rooms full. You and I will shrink them, then leave them to the elves. Only one dwelling in the middle has a fire, we must find a way to it other than the front entrance, which will be guarded well."

They nodded to the elves and left them to their work as they crouched low to the ground and made their way to the centre dwelling. They found it built in a clearing larger than the other villages either had seen. Around the perimeter sat stone figures that seemed to watch the space.

"Sentinels." Gryffin pointed them out to Erwin. "There is no way in."

He took off his hat and slid the goblin-made sword into it, handing it to Erwin. "I will not be able to approach her if she is alive."

"She can use steel..."

"No, she may be weakened." Gryffin looked back at the dwelling. "Erwin, if we can not get her out..."

"If she is in there we ..."

"No, you must promise not to leave her to Mave." Gryffin looked at him coldly. "She would rather go the way of a warrior than at the witch's hand."

"Hengest?" Erwin sneered. "I would rather leave him here."

"He knows too much of Hogwarts. If you decide to leave him here make sure he cannot talk." Gryffin smirked at Erwin, then stood up boldly and began to walk forward with Erwin hurrying to his side.

"What is the plan?" Erwin looked around nervously at the all-too-quiet clearing.

"I have not thought of one yet." Gryffin grinned and started laughing as they strode toward the dwelling. "Erwin, something is wrong here, seriously wrong. Mave!" he called loudly, announcing their arrival, hearing Erwin's curse under his breath. "Mave! I am here to bargain!"

"Bargain," Erwin muttered. "Bargain for our lives."

"It may come to that as well." Gryffin laughed as he saw two wizards appear in front of the entrance.

"I need to see the one known to the non-magical men as Queen!" he shouted brashly and continued to walk toward the dwelling until two wands pointed at him.

"She is not a Queen of men here."

"Then take me to the witch Mave. I have need to see her." Gryffin kept his wand hidden and untouched in the folds of his cloak, hoping Erwin did the same.

"She has guests already," the tallest guard sneered. "She is ..."

"Tell her the hound she would make into a lap dog is here. I am sure she will find time." Gryffin crossed his arms, allowing his cloak to fall open and show the steel sword he carried.

"You dare to come here?" the guard hissed.

They stepped aside, indicating with a point of their wands that Gryffin and Erwin were to enter. Erwin started forward to feel Gryffin's hand on his arm, holding him back. Looking at Gryffin, he saw a slight shake of the head.

"After you," Gryffin nodded to the guards, unwilling to put his back to them and walk in first and only allowing Erwin to join him after the two wizards of Mave's ranks entered before them.

They ducked their heads and entered the dwelling, reaching by habit into the bowl of herbs sitting by the door, walking forward, and throwing them in the fire as an offering to the gods of this dark place.

"I see you have not forgotten the ways." Mave's voice came from the shadows, low and sultry.

"I offer to gods that were here before you." Gryffin smirked. "Do not take this as an offering to your ways."

"You take a great risk in coming here." She stepped out of the shadows, clutching a walking stick that she leaned heavily on. "Now that the battle is done you are here. I expected you to come with the smell of blood."

Erwin's eyes were searching the darkness, trying to take in what he saw. He could not place the smells, and the herbs he saw gathered on tables and piled in corners. He saw movement from the corner of his eye but knew not to turn his head to see it closer.

Gryffin stiffened and tilted his head, his fingers wanting to feel the wood of his wand. He smelled her; Bretta's herbs that he had smelled in her soaps hung in the air.

"I see you are not long for this plain." Gryffin nodded at the stick Mave used and the way she hobbled to the nearest chair.

"Only a temporary injury, I assure you." Mave laughed. "I have found the last ingredient I need for a potion. I am sure you are familiar with this ingredient as it is from your island."

Gryffin felt a coldness at the base of his neck, but outwardly he only shrugged. "I have come here to negotiate a purchase."

"You would purchase her?"

"I have come to purchase steel. From the number of your fallen it would seem you have more then you need, and I have far less." He sat leisurely on the floor and waved at the elf that cowered at Mave's feet to bring him a cup of mead.

They waited until he had the cup in his hands before Mave waved her guards to sit as well, and then turned her eyes to Erwin. "You do not sit? You refuse my hospitality?"

"He will stay as he is." Gryffin smelled the mead and smiled at Mave. "I see you were not expecting guests."

Mave laughed as she watched Gryffin tip up the cup and drain it. "I have not been back long enough to fully prepare. Something else is on my mind."

She raised her hand and waved the guards to the corner in the back. "Bring that to me."

"You seem under-protected, Mave. From the size of this..."

"Do not be fooled, Godric. Do not let the emptiness of this place fool you." She looked hungrily at the corner where movement was coming from. "I was confused when I first discovered this island. I could not understand why the clans were broken, living apart and hiding from even each other.

I was wed to a great land holder. At the time I did not see the importance, but now I wish to share this knowledge." She laughed at him again, throwing her head back as the guards threw Bretta on the floor in front of her.

"Ah, Godric, you and I could be great. We could rule this island together and in time, and with enough hungry, we can control all of the land of men."

Godric heard Erwin's intake of breath and fought not to turn his own eyes to Bretta as she lay on the floor whimpering.

"I do not hunger for blood Mave, I hunger for ..."

"That will change, Godric." She smiled at him as she dropped to her knees in front of Bretta, took up her bleeding wrist, placing it over a cup and watching blood to spill into it. "This is my elixir. I need blood from a witch. It keeps me alive and strong."

She tipped up the cup and drank the blood, sighed, and set the cup down. "I can change you, Godric. I can change you into a god."

She crawled over to him, licking her lips and looking up through her lashes. Erwin's hand fell to his wand as he took a step back at the horror in front of him. He looked up and saw her two guards leering at her and licking their lips at the same time he saw Bretta try to rise off the floor and look to Gryffin in tears.

Her eyes rose to Erwin as she lifted her hand. Not knowing if she was calling for a weapon, and with not enough time to think, he grabbed the hat and tossed it to her as his wand swung to Mave and shot a stunning spell at her.

Gryffin's sword was in his hand before he came fully to his feet, slashing at the guards as they came toward him. He brought the sword in half an arc before cleaving into the neck of the one closest, hearing the second gurgle in blood as Bretta ran the goblin sword through his back.

He swung back to see Erwin pulling his sword from the witch, only to plunge it back in until he felt it hit the dirt under her.

Bretta slumped back to the floor, breathing heavily as Gryffin and Erwin dragged the three corpses out to the clearing. Gryffin kicked Mave to her back and spit on her face.

"It is over." Gryffin sagged to one knee where he lowered his sword, turned his head to the sky and offered prayers he had not felt in a long time.

"My gods," he sighed when at last he could talk. "To end it so easily after so much."

"You won't think it is easy if we don't set fire to this place." Erwin looked back at the door. "Gryffin, I have not checked on Bretta."

"Do not go near her. Not until we know." Gryffin stood and watched the entrance. "We will know when the sun rises."

Gryffin started back toward the dwelling when Erwin pulled him back. "Gryffin, no. You should wait."

Gryffin shrugged off his hand and looked at him evenly. "Start putting fire to the burial houses first. Then each other dwelling in turn. Nothing can be left to offer them shelter."

Erwin could only watch as Gryffin strode back to the dwelling and, ducking down, entered. Once in the dwelling he stopped and looked to where Bretta had laid on the floor to see she was gone. He looked quickly behind him, and then began to search the shadows, calling her name and begging her to answer. Finally, a movement caught his eye, and pushing back a table he found her huddling in the corner.

"No, go, please go, Gryffin. Don't come near me." Bretta sat on her heels, covering her face with her hands.

"Bretta, I need to see." He squatted down and reached forward, pulling her hands down and searching her eyes. He took her hair and pulled her head from one side to the other. He picked up her hands and turned them over, looking at the wounds on her wrists.

"Bretta, how did she open your veins?"

"I ... I don't know. My head, she ... I don't know." She looked up at him with fear. "Gryffin, if she turned me... if... you must promise not to let me become like she."

Gryffin looked at her sadly. He brought up his hand and, using the pad of his thumb, brushed the tears from her eyes.

"Why did you come here? Why would you risk this?"

"I thought the books, the... I wanted to ... Gryffin, do not leave me until the sun. Please stay with me until the sun." She leaned forward, sobbing into him, resting her head on his lap.

"Why did you do this?" He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up to make her look at him.

"To be part of it. Part of the school and part of your life. I thought only that... that you would look at me differently if I could help fill the library."

"Bretta, I look you as you are, not as you think I see you."

"I thought you would find it easier to love me." She choked out the words as she again fell forward in tears. "I wanted you to love me."

Gryffin smiled and looked around where they sat. He smelled the burning village and thought of Laulen and Peska, whom they still had to retrieve, and the horrors that would greet the sun. Shaking his head and looking at the witch, he pulled out his knife and quickly cut his hand, and then grabbed hers and did the same.

She gasped and looked at him as he grasped her hand in his. "We will complete this when we are able, but consider it done, witch. Since I have already known you I think we can wait."

"No!" She struggled against him. "What if... if the..."

"Then I will lose you as a wife and not as a lover." He picked her up and carried her into the clearing where he held her, waiting for the sun, and praying that she would be his.