Alun’s homecoming was not the happy occasion he had savoured on the journey. He could sense something amiss as he tethered the hardy mountain pony outside the door. He found his father sitting at the table in the small room, his head in his hands and looking haggard. It was unlike his father to sit idle during working hours when he could repair nets, weave wicker traps, or prepare bait. It was astonishing that he didn’t leap up to embrace his son after his long absence. So, with foreboding, Alun asked, “Greetings, father, where is my mother?”
Without replying, his father’s drawn face turned towards the drape, separating the bedchamber from the living space. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet and clutched Alun’s arm. “Wait! The priest is with her,” his voice caught. “He is praying over her an
