The Secret of the Swan by Gill Jepson

Author:Gill Jepson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2011-11-18T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

*Great Urswick

CHAPTER 13

THE PASSING

The plain song from the chapel filtered through the rood screen to the simple infirmary ward like sunlight through the trees. Brother John was warmed by the rich smooth voices and his spirit lifted momentarily. Robert Mason huddled on a wooden stool close to the palette bed which had become John’s refuge these last days. He had been fixed to the stool for many a long hour, not wishing to leave his master… and friend. John turned to Robert and smiled. Many years had passed since their pledge to each other and to the abbey treasure. Both men were aged now, but John was fading very fast, he had had the fever in the winter months and Robert had hoped his friend would improve with the warm spring. A terrible cough had wracked his thin frame ever since and it soon became clear that John was unlikely to recover.

Brother John slipped into a fitful sleep. He was troubled deeply, knowing that soon the time would come to entrust his task to another. Robert’s son had been apprenticed as a stone mason and as such became tied to the abbey as his father had been. He knew of the heavy responsibility awaiting him and was prepared to carry out the duties to the best of his ability. John had watched the boy grow and believed that he could be trusted, but he had become aware of a malevolence surrounding the abbey. His uneasy mind created nightmares which showed the treasure attacked by a cloud of black birds, wings flapping furiously until the sarcophagus disappeared under a dark shroud of feathers. He awoke with a jolt.

The sudden movement roused Robert, who reached out anxiously to the old monk.

“What ails thee Brother?”

John took in a deep breath and shuddered. He turned to look at the mason.

“We need to be sure of the treasure. It must be safe! Thy son must beware of those who would steal the treasure!”

Robert shook his grey head, “Nay Brother, none will dare touch the sacred prize and the lad is wary… he’ll not let thee down!”

“He must be certain to pass the knowledge on with care… there must be no mistake. I must remain to help… we must prepare to guide them into the future!” his voice rose in panic.

“Rest thyself Brother John, we have made provision… the preparations are in hand. When thy time comes ye will lie in the hallowed ground behind the high altar.”

“And the sign? This is in hand?”

“Aye, as ye instructed, a stone sealed with a sacred swan… now rest…”

The monk relaxed momentarily and a deep sigh took away his anxiety. His face glowed and became young again. A mysterious energy filled him and he raised himself from the bed. He pointed at the wall; Robert looked but could not see what Brother John had seen. The monk slumped and fell back onto the bed, the colour draining from his face. A luminescence fluttered like a perfect white butterfly above the monk’s inert body and then disappeared.

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