A Cup of Blood by Troy A. Hill

Author:Troy A. Hill [Hill, Troy A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TH Media
Published: 2018-10-03T04:00:00+00:00

26

Scars

Gwen’s arm slid around me. She was quiet, yet understanding. I brushed a finger under my eyes. It came away wet. Yes, red tears. Blood fuelled my body. But, my spirit was my own, and right now was one of those bitter-sweet times that all of my centuries had not taught me how to avoid. Life is full of meetings and partings. Happy and sad times. I had more than a normal lifetime’s worth. They never got easier.

Gwen hugged me tight as we watched the grey and brown flashes of fur appear and disappear several times among the scrub near the shoreline.

“They must travel for a few weeks to get back to their territory on the eastern side of the Cymry kingdoms.” She kept her arm around me and gave me another squeeze. “By the time they get there, your friends will be a happy part of the pack.”

“I’ll still miss them,” I whispered.

“Where we are going, they won’t fit in,” Gwen said. I knew what she meant. We’d return to the world of men soon. Back to villages and townsfolk. Maybe even a noble or two.

“Where do I fit in?” I wondered aloud.

Gwen looked puzzled. “Why do you ask?”

"When I was sleeping today…" It was my turn to stare out at the lake in contemplation. I shared the story of the game and the silver and gold pieces. As I described the game, she interjected a word.

“Gwyddbwyll,” Gwen said. “That’s the game they played.”

I laughed. That was a bizarre word the way she pronounced it: Goo-eeth-boo-ee-hll. She looked like a dragon with hiccoughs trying not to burn a forest down when she said it.

She gave me a stern look, then giggled too. “It is a strange name. We Cymry seem to have a penchant for trying to invent words that make the speaker’s face contort into the silliest expressions possible.”

"What is this gooeethboo..." I said, trying to imitate her expression more than the word. Gwen ignored my antics.

"The Lady has a hallowed game, the game of kings," she said. "In the game, the board represents the land of Britain. It usually plays a role in the tales about how the king is to win the blessings of The Lady and gain sovereignty over his lands. If they misplace the board or toss it away, it signals a disconnection from the Lady, and the character must search for the board to regain sovereignty and the blessings of The Lady."

“Sounds easier to play than pronounce,” I added.

“Did you see the players?”

I related the vision. I described the hooded lady with the dragons embroidered on her gown and the ring on her finger.

“The Lady has blessed you with a vision of herself. The goddess wanted you to see this game. Who was the other player?”

I described him and pulled out every detail I could remember. The description, however, was sketchy at best. Gwen looked puzzled.

"The other player is usually someone who seeks to achieve a higher position or more power. There are all sorts of princelings who desire higher titles.

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