The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR9/CH1 - Abigail's 'Vision', and a Lightning Strike

Guy's recovery from his injury was slow, but sure. He grew in strength as the days passed, those days made ever joyful by the presence of his beautiful girl, who sought him out constantly for fear of him damaging himself further as he went about his work.

She was blossoming with the joy of the child she carried, and showed no sign of the fear she had felt when bearing the others.

When the date of her lying in was about two months off, she reminded him of the instruction and counselling she had received at the Gathering.

"It is coming time for revisiting the scrolls I fetched home with me ," she said, " the herbs and plants the sisters recommended, grow apace at the back of this house, but I must familiarise myself with the method of calming and entrancement, that the childbed holds no terror for me. I wish for my eldest children to join with me in this, a new child is for all of us, not merely for me."

"If you tell me where these parchments are hidden, I will fetch them," said Guy, and then he smiled at Auriel's obvious consternation. Though a woman of tidy habits, she was known for placing things of value into places of obscurity and then 'losing' them.

When the smallest children were abed, Guy and Auriel sat to the kitchen table with the twins and their brother Simeon, as the scrolls were removed from their wooden box, and unfolded for them to see. The solemnity of the occasion was palpable, and silence ensued for a moment or two, until Aunt Gwyneth spoke up.

Up to that moment she had been sitting with Edmund in the parlour, uninvited it seemed, to the family gathering. That this did not sit well with her was apparent in her tone.

" Am I to be excluded then?" she asked, "save for the twins, I have helped bring every new child into this house, it pains me deeply that you spurn me in this way."

Auriel turned, a surprised and questioning look on her face.

" But your wedding Aunt," said Auriel, " it is already once deferred, Thorin expects you, and invitations are already sent out. What of Edmund in this, he loves you, and wants you for his wife, is he to wait still further?"

Edmund raised his hands to indicate that the decision was not his, but his smile told her that he was willing to wait forever for the woman he so loved.

" Do not deny me this girl," said Gwyneth earnestly, " how can I abandon you when I am needed the most?"

Then Guy strode forward to take Gwyneth tightly into his embrace.

"Bless you sweet lady," he said, " I have been living in dread of your leaving, we shall need the blessing of your capable presence when this child comes. Tell me that you will be here, we have need of you, as do our children, Auriel will not ask it of you, so I must, please, please, be here to keep my darling safe."

Though surprised at the warmth of his words, and the need in his voice, Gwyneth still waited on Auriel's reply. But there was no need of words, for her tears spoke clearly of what she could not say.

And so they stood, the three of them, the tall man, his beautiful wife, and the much loved Aunt who gave so willingly of herself. An awkward trio, their arms barely meeting around each other, but the meaning was clear, there was love here, love of the purest kind.

They stood for a while before Auriel reached out to Edmund bringing him into the familial embrace, and he came willingly, knowing that Gwyneth's family was already his own.

They sat together and studied the parchments laid out before them, the menfolk in total bewilderment at such womanly things, but nonetheless willing to play their part if required.

After reading, Ghislaine was sorely tempted to carry out the spell of self entrancement, but was forbidden by her father, and Gheraint was simply shamed by the childbed references written before him.