A Wizard of Earthsea Narrative Insert

A Wizard of Earthsea Narrative Insert - Claire Groome

“Before long they met every day to talk, long, quietly, idly, a little apart from the serving-women who always accompanied Serret, by the fireplace or at the window of the high rooms of the tower.” (p. 108)

…Though subtle, Ged could sense the signs of power in her; dulled by the years of serving in the keep, but still there nonetheless. Serret’s eyes, assertive and confident, glimmered with unspoken depth. Her head was always held high with authority, her long hair framing her face and draping down her shoulders. Ged was hesitant, unsure about how or what to feel about Serret. Her beauty was unmatched, but her power was threatening. Ged sensed that his once unique inner power was within her as well.

Some days when they met, they spoke, quickly taking to teaching each other their own repertoire of spells and charms, and talking knowingly of the balance of the land. Other days, they would fly as birds. Taking the shape of a grey gull, and he, that of a great hawk, Serret would lead him over the mountains and through the land. Soaring high in the air, wind flowing through their wings, Ged felt as though he were dreaming. On these occasions, he felt a sense of freedom, greater than he had ever before experienced- but that feeling would soon be but a distant memory.

One morning, Ged had awoken in a cold sweat. The shadow had once again haunted his dreams, and he sensed its nearness. The dread of facing it was growing steadily inside his heart once again. He swiftly hurried out of his room and across the courtyard, having seen Serret, out in the open. Her dress had been torn at the sides from running. As Ged approached, he heard her frantically shouting spells, and he saw that her eyes were filled with fear.
“It broke through!” she cried. “It shattered the unbreakable wall!”

Ged stared with astonishment. He thought it impossible, yet he had seen it with his own eyes. The shadow had broken through the magical barrier. Serret was barely able to hold it back, her magic weakened with the passage of time. Ged tried to reach out to her, to save her, but it was too late. Serret’s skin turned white as snow, then the spells gave way. She fell limply to the ground, indignity replacing elegance.

Ged knelt down, holding her slender hand in his. He barely had time to call for help before the shadow was upon her. There was a flash of light, blinding and white, then it was gone. He felt his world melt away. The cold touch of death encased his body, making him shake uncontrollably. He had been transported to the world of the dead, trapped paused in time; and the shadow was his only way out.

Ged scanned his eyes across the landscape; empty and forgotten. The density of silence filled his ears. His only guidance were his instincts, directing him deeper into the looming darkness. He felt as though he were being drawn forward; pulled by an invisible string, leading him to where Serret lay. Ged’s feet made no sound as he placed them on the ground. He felt as though he had made no progress at all, as the darkness beyond had made no changes with each step he took. He started to doubt that he would ever find Serret, wishing only to see her face once more, before death in this land he was imprisoned within.

As Ged wandered aimlessly onward, he began to hear a distant voice, shaken with fear, crying for help. Whoever or whatever had made the sound, he thought it to be better than the endless silence that had been, and the feeling of complete isolation. Ged sprinted forward, having seen a figure in the distance; a spot of silver in the vast oblivion. It was Serret, lying upon the ground where the shadow had transported her. The moment he laid hand upon her shivering figure, a warmth filled his soul. Ged begun to hear the chirping of birds, and felt a cool breeze upon his skin. His eyes saw light, as the world came to be once again. He felt the crisp layer or snow beneath his feet, and saw that he was where he had been moments ago, just outside the gates of Terrenon. Serret opened her eyes once more, and Ged helped her to her feet. He was only glad that they had both survived, even if it meant that the shadow had been released into the living world again.

They returned in silence to the keep, Ged uttering a spell to repair the damaged magical barrier. Serret, after thanking Ged, returned to her own room, overwhelmed by fatigue. Ged returned to his bedroom also, passing Benderesk in the halls, greeted only with a cold stare and slight nod….“The old lord kept mostly in his own apartments, coming forth mornings to pace up and down the snowy inner courtyards of the castle-keep like an old sorcerer who has been brewing spells all night.” (p.108)