4
Nov
This is the final entry in a short #FridayFlash serial based in The Four Part Land. Events that take place here will have a large impact in upcoming TFPL novels.
Then the council bade Annwyd Arwedda and his travellers fair well, and told them to expect a messenger before the autumn time. Doubts and worries crept into the thoughts of all of those from the Fferedig Ddynion that resided in that place, for they saw the land they had worked on for the last year being taken from them, and forced to return to the land of cold, of want, of short days and long nights hunting herd animals in a snowstorm. These thoughts angered the young men and women who had come with Annwyd, and they spoke to him, and asked him what he might do to insure that they lived here. Annwyd replied to them that there was little that they could do, for to protest by remaining would mean that they would be a lonely thirty here, cut off and alone from the rest of the people, and none of those who remained on the frostbitten plateau would know of the betterment of their lives that could be had, and so Annwyd Arwedda bade that if he and his travellers were called to return, then return they would, and spread the word amongst the youngsters and friends, of what a boon it had been to live under an open sky and a gentle sun.
Soon enough, autumn came, and with it a messenger from the council, that very same man who had carried the first news to Annwyd Arwedda. Annwyd greeted him as an old friend, and waited for the message to be read forth, and when it was as he had expected, he told all those who had travelled with him that they must gather their things, for this was the ending of their time under the open sky. Grumbling and groaning, murmuring discontent and anger, they did as they were asked, and soon assembled themselves on the outskirts of the village, where they took partings from those of the village, and Annwyd spoke to them and said that one day we will return, and we will remember with kindness what you have done.
And so, when years later the Fferedig Ddynion swept down from their hills under Annwyd Arwedda and sought to make a kingdom of the western plains, one small village was spared any ravishment, and indeed, was bestowed with such gifts that the farmers there became wealthy men. But the kingdom of Annwyd is a story that shall be told at another time.
Annwyd will return in the 4th book of The Four Part Land, the 2nd book of the Chloddio trilogy. I’m also thinking of writing a novella from his point of view for Unfolding a New Continent, as the final anchor story for that collection.
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Steve Green on 11.06.2010
Nicely rounded off James, Annwyd was destined to return to the warmer land, it had so much to offer.
Gracie on 11.07.2010
I’ve just read the whole series, and I must say, it’s very good. Your lyrical and mythic writing sweeps me completely into this world. Very enjoyable.
The elders should have let them stay, I think…
Great story.
The Four Part Land on 11.07.2010
@Steve I wrote myself into that one when I included a mention of the Fferedig Ddynion at the end of Tarranau. They are mentioned as a ‘stirring menace’, or something along those lines. It’s Annwyd, getting ready for his grand entrance. I hadn’t planned it (or this story), but after I wrote it into the main thread, I liked the idea, and decided to keep it.
@Gracie I couldn’t let them stay, because of the chronology of writing. I already had two novels that took place (partly) on those plains, and Annwyd wasn’t there. So the council had to call him back. The same thing happened to me with Breaking an Empire. I really, really wanted to give those characters a happy ending, and I couldn’t. From their naming day, they had been created to lose. All I could do was not kill them at the end.
I don’t know if you could tell, but I wrote the ending and last 1000 words or so several months after I wrote the rest of the tale. I had stopped writing for a little, because work was such a downer, and came back to finish it off.
Maria Kelly on 11.07.2010
Nicely ended. Those poor people. Looking forward to the books!
The Four Part Land on 11.07.2010
I’ve sort of planned what’s happening to Annwyd, but only sort of. The initial plot is something I almost always revise before I start writing.
I’m just as interested as the rest of you to see where this goes. Because I don’t really know.