Our visit to Dinas Bran was hardly complete. As I mentioned in another post, I had come up to the top of Dinas Bran by a new route and one that was much steeper than normal. Not only that but I seemed to have made the trek with almost no effort. A surprise because I had let my fitness level drop somewhat. Here I was then, within the embrace of Cailleach as she let fall nuggets of understanding.
My thought shifted to that fact, and as I write this, I wonder whether I directed my thoughts or Cailleach did, in any case as I pondered that feat of fitness and dexterity of climbing when Cailleach jumped in with a few words…
“I helped you up”
Okay, lovely. It wasn’t me then?
“Courage is rewarded”
Now, that’s not fair. What did that mean? Why was courage rewarded? Why did you reward me? Was it always rewarded? Why at this time? Did I get the answers to those questions? No, just a whole load of silence. You know the old Westerns where you have a dust bowl blowing through an empty, dusty street? That is what I got!
One thing that I am always banging on about to people who ask about quests, pilgrimages, sojourns. You don’t get answers! You get a whole heap more questions!
Let’s quietly and with a serious amount of humility, move on…
I could still sense the presence of her magnificence and so I awaited her pleasure. “Power of Promise” she said. Actually, it would be more accurate to say, intoned. I raised a mental eyebrow in askance.
“At Valle Crucis, you must find the Power of Promise”
I have communed with Cailleach long enough now to know when it is useless to ask questions. This was one of them times. So I let it go. Gwas and I were off to Valle Crucis in a while, so I would wait and see what would happen.
I thought we were done, but Cailleach had one last drip of guidance. I knew it was nearing the end of our commune. I felt her rise and tower over Dinas Bran, awesome!
“You have eight weeks, be ready”
She vanished from my mind, instantly. With a whole host of questions in her wake.
Kal Malik
