When Balor woke the next morning there was still no sign of Banac. Mother’s eyes were red and raw, and she made his breakfast in silence, and Balor did not ask her any questions.
The men had come back late last night, empty-handed and grim-faced. As soon as it was light they had gone out again in another search party; but when they returned after breakfast without any success Mother’s face twisted into a funny shape, and she went into the house with Father and stayed there for a long time. Balor was not allowed in to see them.
“Leave them be for now, young ‘un,” Elred told him. “They’ve enough to worry about without you bothering them.”
He took Balor to the smithy, where he let him pound iron for a few hours until his face was black with smuts and his eyes watered, and he had forgotten about Banac completely. But by late afternoon Elred had run out of things for him to do, and he sent him home, warning him not to bother Mother and Father more than was necessary. When Balor ducked through the door he found them huddled to one side, whispering urgently in tense voices — and still Banac was nowhere to be seen.
Friday 2 December 2011
Thursday 1 December 2011
The Endless Circle - Chapter 5: The Beremer
“Balor! Have you seen your brother?”
Mother wandered in and out of the house distractedly, growing more and more agitated as the light failed. Balor watched her from his place by the fire, feeling the same agitation gnaw at his own breast. Father was the only one who was not alarmed. He sat by the door with a pipe in his hand, blowing smoke into the gathering dusk.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” he said. “You know Banac — always running off for one thing or another.”
“But he looked upset! Didn’t he look upset?” Mother glanced outside again. “And Elred said he’d been out of sorts all day. Can’t you at least go and look for him?”
Father reached out and caught her by the hand, holding her still. “If he doesn’t come back in an hour or so, then we’ll go and look for him.”
“But it’s dark already! He could be anywhere!”
“There now.” He stroked her back gently. “You’ll frighten Balor. Come. Sit a while. Have something to eat. Try not to think of it. He’ll be back before long, you’ll see.”
Mother wandered in and out of the house distractedly, growing more and more agitated as the light failed. Balor watched her from his place by the fire, feeling the same agitation gnaw at his own breast. Father was the only one who was not alarmed. He sat by the door with a pipe in his hand, blowing smoke into the gathering dusk.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” he said. “You know Banac — always running off for one thing or another.”
“But he looked upset! Didn’t he look upset?” Mother glanced outside again. “And Elred said he’d been out of sorts all day. Can’t you at least go and look for him?”
Father reached out and caught her by the hand, holding her still. “If he doesn’t come back in an hour or so, then we’ll go and look for him.”
“But it’s dark already! He could be anywhere!”
“There now.” He stroked her back gently. “You’ll frighten Balor. Come. Sit a while. Have something to eat. Try not to think of it. He’ll be back before long, you’ll see.”
Wednesday 30 November 2011
The Endless Circle - Chapter 4: Blackmail
It seemed to Banac that he slept for only a few moments before he was roused by the sound of Mother clattering about by the fire. He struggled to sit up in bed, blinking through gritty eyes. It was late morning already – the door-curtain had been drawn back, letting in bright sunshine and cool air. Father was sitting up in his bed on the other side of the room with fresh bandages on his leg, drinking a cup of something hot. From outside came mingled sounds of voices, confused babblings of gossip trickling through the village, undercut by the noise of hammering and sawing. And over it all, distant and chilling, a single voice was raised in a long, quavering wail of despair.
“Good morning,” Mother said as she came over with a bowl of hot oats. “Though there's nothing good to be found in it, for sure.” Her voice was cheerless, her eyes ringed with dark circles. She handed him the bowl and turned back to the fire. “You’ve slept long enough,” she said over her shoulder. “Go and get dressed and help your brother outside. There’s plenty of work to be done today, and more than enough mourning to be done besides.”
Banac bit back the protest that came all to easily to his lips: Mother’s face told him today was not a day for argument. It was a day for doing what he was told, and for not answering back, and for hard work and comfort for those who grieved.
“Good morning,” Mother said as she came over with a bowl of hot oats. “Though there's nothing good to be found in it, for sure.” Her voice was cheerless, her eyes ringed with dark circles. She handed him the bowl and turned back to the fire. “You’ve slept long enough,” she said over her shoulder. “Go and get dressed and help your brother outside. There’s plenty of work to be done today, and more than enough mourning to be done besides.”
Banac bit back the protest that came all to easily to his lips: Mother’s face told him today was not a day for argument. It was a day for doing what he was told, and for not answering back, and for hard work and comfort for those who grieved.
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Housekeeping
Hi all. Comments are now active for any and all posters, but I will be moderating them in order to filter out any spam. This is my right as absolute dictator of my own online police-state, so please don't be offended.
This means comments may take up to 12 hours to appear, depending on whether I check my email or not - but since I've recently discovered email on my phone it should be sooner.
Also, many thanks to everyone who has been following the blog. Please tell all your friends and family, especially younger (12+) readers, so I can start getting feedback.
Most of all, keep reading, and I hope you enjoy!
This means comments may take up to 12 hours to appear, depending on whether I check my email or not - but since I've recently discovered email on my phone it should be sooner.
Also, many thanks to everyone who has been following the blog. Please tell all your friends and family, especially younger (12+) readers, so I can start getting feedback.
Most of all, keep reading, and I hope you enjoy!
The Endless Circle - Chapter 3: The Storm
Banac said nothing to Balor of his encounter with the Scholar, and in any case there was no time, for as soon as they arrived home Mother had chores waiting for them. “Consider this the next part of your punishment,” she told them as she handed them sifting-pans and a sack of grain.
They sat outside in the late afternoon sunshine with the sifting-pans in their laps, not speaking, shaking out the grain and collecting piles of rough brown chaff between their crossed legs. After ten minutes of silent work Balor straightened up and looked at Banac.
“So are we going to talk about it?” he said.
“Talk about what?” Banac did not look up.
“About what you found — about what you’ve got hidden over there.”
They sat outside in the late afternoon sunshine with the sifting-pans in their laps, not speaking, shaking out the grain and collecting piles of rough brown chaff between their crossed legs. After ten minutes of silent work Balor straightened up and looked at Banac.
“So are we going to talk about it?” he said.
“Talk about what?” Banac did not look up.
“About what you found — about what you’ve got hidden over there.”
Monday 28 November 2011
The Endless Circle - Chapter 2: The Scholar
They made their way back through the forest along the same path they had taken earlier that day. Banac ignored his brother’s loud sniffs and exaggerated sighs: Balor had been known to hold grudges for days, and was sure to continue reminding him of his ill-treatment for hours yet.
“Keep up,” was all he said, and Balor had no choice but to obey.
The air in the forest was stifling, and the trees seemed to close in around them as they shoved through the undergrowth. Beads of sweat prickled their backs, and their clothes clung to them uncomfortably. It was the hottest summer in living memory, and for the better part of a month the skies had been harsh and cloudless.
It was with relief that they felt the ground begin to rise, then steepen sharply, and then the path rose out of the stifling trees, winding up the western face of the ridge of hills that lay between them and the Sea. A welcome breeze brushed over their skin as they climbed, stirring their hair and tugging gently at their woollen smocks.
Halfway up the hillside they stopped for a rest. Balor flopped down on the grass, red-faced and sweating; Banac stood and looked back the way they had come.
“Keep up,” was all he said, and Balor had no choice but to obey.
The air in the forest was stifling, and the trees seemed to close in around them as they shoved through the undergrowth. Beads of sweat prickled their backs, and their clothes clung to them uncomfortably. It was the hottest summer in living memory, and for the better part of a month the skies had been harsh and cloudless.
It was with relief that they felt the ground begin to rise, then steepen sharply, and then the path rose out of the stifling trees, winding up the western face of the ridge of hills that lay between them and the Sea. A welcome breeze brushed over their skin as they climbed, stirring their hair and tugging gently at their woollen smocks.
Halfway up the hillside they stopped for a rest. Balor flopped down on the grass, red-faced and sweating; Banac stood and looked back the way they had come.
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