Daughter of the Lake

“Back at the hall, I went exploring again. I found a few more bedrooms, a small basic kitchen and a drawing room with a writing desk, chair, bookshelf and a grandfather clock. I went inside to have a better look around. It was small and very dark; lit by just one candle on the writing desk. I used the flame to light the torches on the walls that I could just about make out. The room became bathed in an orange glow, revealing a small table, and another bookshelf.
I walked over to the closest shelf and looked at the titles of some of the books. “A Healers Guide to Herbs” was just about the only interesting title. I took it down from the shelf and sat at the desk to read it. As I read it, I realised that I either already knew what each herb was used for or that it was just common sense. After about an hour, I became bored of it. So, I got up and put the book away. As I did, I noticed that time on the grandfather clock; it was nearly half past six.
I started to make my way back to my room to freshen up and find something to change into. Once back inside, I found that there was a chest full of clothes at the bottom of the bed that I hadn’t noticed before. I washed my face using the wash bowl on the side, drying my face in a rough towel that had also been left for me. Then I turned to the chest and started to look for a suitable dress.
She quickly decided on a dusky pink and white dress, with a fitted, sweetheart, embroidered bodice. It also had a full skirt with the same embroidery, frilled peplum drapes, and short, puffy sleeves. I changed into this and then turned to the table. On it, I found a brush and different coloured ribbons. I brushed my hair and tied half of it up with a matching ribbon.
When I went to shut the chest, I noticed a little wooden box almost identical to the one that had been in Cardew’s castle tucked under one of the dresses. Inside it was a load of different sets a jewellery, including a pearl necklace and drop earrings set. I took them out and put them on. Satisfied that I looked presentable, I went to look at the clock in the drawing room; it said five to eight.
Time to go, I thought and turned on the spot.

I was back in the hall that I had been in earlier, but it was warmer and looking more festive and grand. Now, there was music playing from a piano, with a violin and flute playing a melody. I recognised the tune as the Holly and the Ivy.
The room was also now filled with people. Some of them smiled when they noticed me, and I was reminded of certain candle flames. A lot of them were standing around singing to the music, but some were circulating the room, talking to friends and generally catching up. Each person was dressed in Victorian clothes, with the women in beautiful ball gowns. Then some of them were starting to crowd around me, trying to introduce themselves or to hear me. I was starting to feel claustrophobic, even though I had never done so in her life, there were just too many people!
“Excuse me, please, give her some room.” A woman about twenty came through the parting crowd. She had bright blue eyes, brown hair tied up at the base of her neck, and a bonny but friendly face. She was wearing a long white dress that came out in a bell shape at the waist.
“Come, child, stay with me until Merriman joins us.” She took me by the arm and led me away from the group. “My name is Miss. Greythorne”
“It is nice to meet you.” I replied. “And thank you.” When I looked into her face, I was reminded of a candle that had glowed with a brilliant yellow flame. Just as the two of us were standing behind the singers, Good King Wenceslas started to sound from the piano.
“Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast on Stephen…” everyone sang with me also adding my voice to the sound. When it got to the last verse, I could just about make out my father’s head above the rest of the crowd.
He must be at the front, I thought. I looked at Miss. Greythorne and she turned and nodded back at me.
I started to make my way through the crowd and found they parted slightly to let me pass. I got to the front and stood smiling at Merriman. Next to him was the boy I had seen the first time I had been in the hall.
Will, she remembered and then thought, Sign Seeker.
As the song ended, Miss. Greythorne exclaimed “Beautiful! Beautiful! Come in, come in!” She was standing next to me now, the crowd having parted to let her through. She held out her hand to him saying “Come, Will.” He took her hand.
Most people in the hall had headed towards the smell of food coming from a room over to the left, leaving a group of about fifty of them left standing there. Each of them, I guessed, was an Old One; I could match them all to a flame I had seen in the candle ring. They were all smiling at Will and I. Miss. Greythorne led us all into a room on the right with an ornate fireplace at the back.
As she was walking, Miss. Greythorne told Merriman “We are all ready, there are no – hindrances.”
“You are sure?” Merriman asked in stern tone that made both me and Will look up at him.
“Quite sure,” was Miss. Greythorne’s reply. She then turned taking Will’s other hand and sank to eye level. “It is the third sign, Will, the Sign of Wood.”
The rest of what she said to him was half lost in Merriman explaining to me what had happened while I had been ill. “Will is our Sign Seeker. He is to find the six signs of the Light so we can fight the Dark.” Merriman explained in the speech of the mind.
“I may not have known who I am for long, but I know about the Seeker. After all, he is the reason I am here father.” I said in the same manner.
Miss. Greythorne was straightening up to address the assembled Old Ones. “We are very glad to see you, Will Stanton, Sign-Seeker, and you, Eirwen Ambrose. Very, very glad.” She said in a clear voice. A rumble of assent travelled through the crowed, and each of them looked at the Will and me and smiled, radiating the friendship and trust of a family. “It is almost time.”
“Some small refreshments for the newcomers first, perhaps.” said a small voice beside Will. It was Hawkin, still dressed in his green velvet waist coat. He handed Will a glass, then turned and bowed slightly to Merriman and I while holding out our glasses.
“My lord and lady.” He said. Simling, I took the glass from him and stood staring while Merriman’s face seemed to contort slightly. After a few seconds, Hawkin burst out laughing, followed by an affectionate chuckle from Merriman.
“Ah, no,” Hawkin spluttered, “Stop it. I have had the habit for long years, after all.” Merriman accepted the glass, raised it to Hawkin and drank. After a confused expression passed across Will’s face, he too drank. I was a little more cautious and took a small, feminine sip.
“What is it?” Will exclaimed. Hawking laughed and started talking with Will.
I slowly drifted over to the fire and looked into the dancing flames. I could have sworn I had seen a dark haired girl and a man on a black horse in those flames as I stared. The girl turned away from the rider and walked towards a house that was full of lights.
Then everyone was gathering around the fire; Miss. Greythorne must have called them around. She was standing just behind me and I moved away to the left and stood back a bit.
Once Will and Merriman were standing at the front, Miss. Greythorne turned her back to them and stared at the fire surround. It was carved from one piece of wood, and was plain except for a few small, four-petalled roses here and there. Miss. Greythorne put her hand on one in the top left-hand corner and pushed its centre. An opening appeared by her wrist, into which she put her hand in. She withdrew her hand to reveal a quartered circle made of decaying wood. She handed it to Merriman and a little more of it fell to dust.
“That’s a hundred years old?” Will asked
“Every hundred years the renewing, yes.” Miss. Greythorne said.
I knew what Will was thinking even before he voiced his thoughts, wood should last much longer than that. But I was already far ahead of him; I had already identified the wood as rowan. It would not last as long as some others such as oak or mahogany.
The next thing my father did shocked me away from my train of thought. He broke the Sign of Wood in his right hand and threw it into the fire. Then Miss. Greythorne took a sliver jug from Hawkin standing by her side and threw the content over the now roaring fire. Again, I caught a glimpse of a dark haired girl in the dying flames. There was a lot of hissing as the fire completely died. Miss. Greythorne then leaned in and pulled out a burnt lump of wood. She quickly pealed away the outer layers to reveal a circle containing a cross. It was perfectly regular with no traces of the fire; it was as if it had always been that shape. The other thing that astounded me was the fact that there was not a trace of soot on Miss. Greythorne’s white gloves.
“Will Stanton,” she said, turning to him “here is your third Sign. I may not give it to you in this century; your quest must all be fulfilled within your own time. But, I can leave in your mind the movements the finding will take.”
He stared as Miss. Greythorne placed the Sign back in the opening and pressed in centre of the rose. Then, from nowhere, the whole panelling was covered with them, all making it harder for him to find the right one with his eyes.
“Here,” I said in the speech of the mind, “Let me show you.” I showed him an image of me pressing a flower at the centre of a group in the left corner. Even as I said it I was moving unconsciously towards the library.
“Thank you.” Came Will’s reply into me mind.
I watched from my place by the library door as Hawkin tugged at Will’s arm and led him towards the door. He looked towards my father for help as this stranger tried to pull him away. I saw father jerk upright and swing around to find Will. When he saw Hawkin, he raised a hand in assent. Once Hawkin had led Will to the door, Victoria stepped forward.
“Will Stanton, mab seithfed o seithed mab, ieuengaf HenUn. Fy enw i ydy Eirwen, Hen Un, Ceidwad proffwydoliaethau, Cylchredwyr y Tywyll, Archoffeiriades y Hud Uchel, Merch y Llyn.” I said, introducing myself. When I saw his blank expression I quickly back tracked. “Sorry, you haven’t learnt yet. I’m Eirwen. Go on, ignore me, you have much more important things to see to.”
With that, I turned and went back into the crowd. I didn’t go very far because I felt compelled to keep an eye out for Will. He seemed slightly lost in this world that was all so new to both of them. After a few seconds, father went in after them. I had already guessed what they were doing, so it was no surprise when Merriman and Hawkin reappeared a few minutes later.
“Tell, what has happened with Will while I have not been around?” I asked, pouncing on my father as he came towards me.
He seemed to contemplate what I had said for a minute, his face turning stern. I held his gaze with one just as unwavering, unwilling to be left in the dark and one step behind everyone. Eventually he relented and gave a huge sigh.
“You know of our prophecies due to your nature, so you should know that we needed the Sign-Seeker to find the Signs of the Light if we are to defeat the Dark. Will is the Sign-Seeker.” Merriman explained.
“That much I know, no thanks to you” I said, venom evident in my voice. What did he take me for, an idiot, I thought. Then I too relented slightly, “Sorry, I just need to what I have to work with.”
“Will currently has two of the Signs.” Merriman continued, ignoring the outburst that I was even slightly surprised at.
“Iron for the birthday, Bronze carried long.” I recited. “Again, something I knew.”
“I forget just how much you are like me and your mother. OK, lets try this a different way. What do you want to know?” he asked.
“Firstly, what of Will?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, he is an Old One and a seventh of seven, but what would be his weakneses? What do we know of his family? How will I be able to help if I don’t know who I’m suppose to help?”
“Then get to know him. You said you could see a colour to the flames, well use that to tell you about the person.” At that, I looked into Merriman’s eyes. They looked like the eyes of a hawk again and I guessed that was what they really looked like. But, the more I looked the more I could see the reflection of his candle in them; midnight blue with gold tips.
Let’s try you then. I thought, Well, midnight blue would be intelligence, confidence, power, authority. Gold, wealth and wisdom. I think that sums you up perfectly.
“His family, how many are there and who of us will be around to protect them?” Victoria asked
“Well, there are his parents and six boys. One died as an infant, he would have been the oldest. The next one down is in the navy; we are all keeping an eye on his ship when it docks. The other boys live at home with their three sisters. I, Miss. Greythorne and three others are around keeping an eye on them.” Merriman explained, “Now, if you will excuse me, Will has finished reading.”