THE DAIGHACAER, CHAPTER 10

Good Monday morning

After the emotional intensity of Chapter 9, Chapter 10 provides a welcome pause and a degree of normalcy as the companions ready themselves for their extraordinary mission. To me it is important to have a breathing space within a story to catch my breath. The other alternative is to put the book down and if I’m engrossed in the story, I find that particularly irritating. I’d much rather the story itself provided a break.

Dawn

Chapter 10 opens with Eryen greeting The Lady Dawne and their bond, now strengthened by the previous day’s terrors, make it difficult for them to separate. A poignant moment of reflection. 

“Eryen was about to walk away when that beloved voice stopped him.

“Love hath many forms, Eryen,” chimed The Lady Dawne’s melodious voice. “The love which thou hath always shown to those of The Lighte goes not unnoticed. Our time together this day was, indeed, an embrace. An embrace of a most perfect and profound reciprocal love between mortals and their deities. I too felt bereft when our bond was severed.”

As The Lady Dawne was speaking to him, Eryen thought back on the intimate joining that the deities, Ryallor and he experienced on Ryallor’s Naming Day. Yes. There was no doubt that the bond which was established that day was one that would transcend and persist throughout time and times and in all situations.”

The chapter pivots to the little time which the companions thought that they would have to get affairs in order before they left on their mission. This was cut short by The Lord Dayl awakening them at midnight with their preparation instructions. It was at that moment that they realised that ‘urgent’ meant exactly that and that they would be leaving their homes the next morning. They were also aware that they may only return at a much later date, if they returned at all. Anyone who has ever prepared for a long journey will understand the controlled panic that everyone experienced given the tight timeline. 

“Although Eryen was completely committed to the task ahead of him and ready to leave immediately, an infinite sadness welled up within him. He was not sure why the sudden sadness overwhelmed him, but somehow he knew that he was embarking on a mission which would alter forever his course in life. He also intuitively knew that he would never experience life in Raeldysce in the same way. “If, in fact, I am ever in a position to return to Raeldysce again,” he thought dejectedly.”

Towards the end of the chapter, the pace picks up slightly as the danger of imminent attack by The Darke is revealed and jolts Eryen. His experience of the previous day brought forcefully to the fore as Jivdreg reluctantly tells of his attack.

“I was going to speak to Eryen of it later but I had an episode yesterday. My mother and The Old Patriarch Tree saved me. I was attacked by some agent of The Darke in the woods. Right here, Eryen! Right in the middle of Raeldysce!” 

At Jeala’s gasp, Eryen asked with a sense of unease. “What is it, Jeala? You’re as white as a sheet.”

“I wondered about The Darke’s attack on you yesterday, Eryen and have been trying to work out how my protection shield may have failed you but…”

“Protection shield? What protection shield, Jeala? What are you talking about?” insisted Eryen with a voice of authority which nevertheless betrayed a very real apprehension.

Jeala looked uncomfortably at Eryen, then braced her shoulders and said quietly, “This is a strange vibration we’re experiencing in Raeldysce, Eryen, but The Lighte help us, it’s not the first time that it’s happened.” 

She continued hurriedly when she saw Eryen begin to stand up. “Eryen, wait. We haven’t the time now for me to explain everything to you, but I believe that the time has come for you to know what I’ve kept from everyone up until now.”

“You’re quite right, Jeala. The time has most certainly come! I don’t appreciate anything of what is obviously of great magnitude being kept from me!” 

Eryen was angry. 

He was confused and he was deeply troubled.”

All in all, Chapter 10 is a diverse chapter which allows the necessary break but also draws the urgency of the story forward so that there is no doubt about the forthcoming mission.