{"id":1322,"date":"2012-07-27T00:00:31","date_gmt":"2012-07-27T04:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1322"},"modified":"2012-07-26T19:01:06","modified_gmt":"2012-07-26T23:01:06","slug":"winter-chapter-17-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1322","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 17 – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I shook my head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It didn\u2019t always feel like a blessing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom squeezed me gently.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou didn\u2019t ask if she was a druid,\u201d Thom said, his tone careful and curious all at once.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe doesn\u2019t have the look of one,\u201d Daniel said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere\u2019s a look they\u2019ve got, and a feel.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He offered me a smile.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot that I don\u2019t have the utmost respect for you anyhow.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I choked back a laugh as I got up to rescue the steaming kettle from the fire.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo offense taken, I promise.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 Not on my end, anyway.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I filled a small teapot with the hot water and let the tea steep before I started to pour it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Both men stared off into the darkness, leaving me to my brief bout of domesticity.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou know,\u201d I said as I finally began to pour the tea, their silence a little more than I could bear.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou never did tell us who Kit O\u2019Shea was and how she knew Phelan.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The corner of his mouth twitched.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI was wondering how long it would be before someone asked about her.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Daniel stretched languidly as he accepted the mug I offered him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe was one of my professors at university.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A cultural anthropologist trying to unravel the mysteries of Celtic civilizations across time.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She always used to talk about this chap that she knew in old days, red hair, quick wit, given to occasional brooding, said he knew more about the lost history of the Celtic peoples than anyone she\u2019d ever met.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think she half believed that the tales he told her were real.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She passed them on to me over a pint or twelve.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCalled him Wanderer, said his real name was Fallon or some rot like that.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think they might\u2019ve had a fling once upon a time back in the seventies, but I could never be sure since she\u2019d never talk about it\u2014only about his stories.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Of course, I got the idea in my head to start doing research on the chap.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Daniel took a long swallow tea.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHave you ever heard the legend of the Wanderer?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCan\u2019t say that I have.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I glanced at Thom and he shook his head, shrugging with one shoulder.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat about it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s an old English piece,\u201d Daniel said, stretching again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMost folk only know the part about the horse and the rider.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom\u2019s brow arched and he looked at Daniel askance.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The shifter grinned.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Then he began to sing.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His voice came soft, lilting, his accent making the words seem more otherworldly.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Where is the horse gone? Where the rider?<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nWhere the giver of treasure?<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nWhere are the seats at the feast?<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nWhere are the revels in the hall?<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nAlas for the bright cup!<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nAlas for the mailed warrior!<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nAlas for the splendour of the prince!<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nHow that time has passed away,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\ndark under the cover of night,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nas if it had never been!<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nNow there stands in the trace<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nof the beloved troop<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\na wall, wondrously high,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nwound round with serpents.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nThe warriors taken off<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nby the glory of spears,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nthe weapons greedy for slaughter,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nthe famous fate (turn of events),<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nand storms beat<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nthese rocky cliffs,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nfalling frost<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nfetters the earth,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nthe harbinger of winter;<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nThen dark comes,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nnightshadows deepen,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nfrom the north there comes<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\na rough hailstorm<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nin malice against men.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nAll is troublesome<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nin this earthly kingdom,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nthe turn of events changes<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nthe world under the heavens.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nHere money is fleeting,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nhere friend is fleeting,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nhere man is fleeting,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nhere kinsman is fleeting,<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nall the foundation of this world<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nturns to waste!<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The words struck me with their familiarity, though I couldn\u2019t quite place their origin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I knew I\u2019d never heard of the poem he\u2019d referenced, but the words felt like ones I\u2019d heard\u2014or read\u2014before.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom just stared at him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s from <\/span>Lord of the Rings<\/span><\/em>, isn\u2019t it?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Aragorn, Rohan, something like that.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Daniel smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s from an Old English poem about the Wanderer.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo, wait,\u201d I said, shaking my head hard.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re saying that your professor thought that Phelan was connected to this poem somehow?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot quite,\u201d Phelan\u2019s voice said heavily from the darkness behind me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cKit <\/span>knew<\/span><\/em> it was connected.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Leann\u00e1n<\/span><\/em>, the poem is <\/span>about<\/span><\/em> me.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Translation of “The Wanderer” is from Anglo-Saxons.net<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I shook my head.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t always feel like a blessing.\u00a0 Thom squeezed me gently. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou didn\u2019t ask if she was a druid,\u201d Thom said, his tone careful and curious all at once.\u00a0 \u201cWhy not?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe doesn\u2019t … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,56,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-17","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-lk","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1322"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1323,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1322\/revisions\/1323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}