![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
When the Dark comes Rising...
Jan. 29th, 2006 01:08 pmApproximately one year ago in January, Blodwen Rowlands arrived at Milliways. After a rocky start, she settled cheerfully down into a quiet existence of knitting and warm conversation with passersby, evidently meaning to pursue a second chance and a new life.
Appearances can be deceiving.
For although Blodwen retained her mortal form and to some degree mortal emotions as well, she was still at the core what she had chosen long ago to become -- the White Rider, one of the immortal Great Lords of the Dark, given irrevocably and wholly to evil. Although from time to time hints of her subtle malice would show through, for the most part she was content to bide her time and to wait for the coming of winter -- and the rising of power that the deep cold would bring to those of the Dark.
Her method has ever been to seek opportunity in the weakness of others, and as December progressed she began to do exactly that, first placing herself in the bar where she could be easily seen working on a simple knitting project: a soft blanket of cloud-white wool with a single shining silver thread woven through it. Unbeknownst to most, that innocent-looking throw contained a trap-spell, a shining net of power that would settle over the victim's will without their knowledge, binding them to her service and to her command with a strength that would deepen over time. Mary Lennox was the first to fall, followed by that merry wanderer, Puck -- and soon after others, among them Sharpe, Cypher, Tim Hunter, and Caspian. Not all were caught; Nita Callahan broke free, as did Raven -- who then returned a second time to the struggle in order to destroy her net-spell that no more would be trapped. Some came willingly, as did Draco Malfoy, who swore service to the White Rider and to the Dark as well -- and then betrayed his friend, Danny Fenton. Although he later recanted, the damage was done.
As the poison began to spread through Milliways, touching all those who were concerned for their friends and the safety of their home, something of her motives began to become clear: not only was Blodwen seeking a route of escape from the bar, but she also had vowed to return vengeance and loss upon Bran Davies, who had restored the memory of one John Rowlands, once her husband and to a degree loved -- and then lost, for a second time. She kept that promise in several ways, from arranging for the theft of his golden harp to nearly destroying his father Owen. She did destroy other things -- among them, through her actions and her influence over so many people, she harmed others' trust, safety, treasured memory, friendships, comfort, happiness, faith, security, and very nearly the bar itself.
Meanwhile, the Black Rider was strangely quiet during this time of rising -- but not idle, as he was collecting power from all of these events in the bar, with the goal of restoring himself to his former glory. On one sunny afternoon, he and Blodwen met outside, at which point he triggered the spell to regain his strength. After this, the two of them walked away together into the growing darkness to set plans for that evening-- Twelfth Night.
Twelfth Night is the time of the Dark's greatest power, and it was on Twelfth Night that Blodwen made her final move -- with Mary as her bespelled guide, she left the bar for the greenhouse portal to Yorkshire, and freedom. Others were far less pleased, and a desperate battle was waged for Mary's life, to stop the White Rider's escape, and to protect the bar and the minds of those within it from the destruction that would be caused by the raging Dark at the height of its power.
And then, there was an unexpected turn of events.
Things are calmer now, as those affected pick up the pieces and return to their normal lives. As for Blodwen? The White Rider is regaining her strength... somewhere else.
Appearances can be deceiving.
For although Blodwen retained her mortal form and to some degree mortal emotions as well, she was still at the core what she had chosen long ago to become -- the White Rider, one of the immortal Great Lords of the Dark, given irrevocably and wholly to evil. Although from time to time hints of her subtle malice would show through, for the most part she was content to bide her time and to wait for the coming of winter -- and the rising of power that the deep cold would bring to those of the Dark.
Her method has ever been to seek opportunity in the weakness of others, and as December progressed she began to do exactly that, first placing herself in the bar where she could be easily seen working on a simple knitting project: a soft blanket of cloud-white wool with a single shining silver thread woven through it. Unbeknownst to most, that innocent-looking throw contained a trap-spell, a shining net of power that would settle over the victim's will without their knowledge, binding them to her service and to her command with a strength that would deepen over time. Mary Lennox was the first to fall, followed by that merry wanderer, Puck -- and soon after others, among them Sharpe, Cypher, Tim Hunter, and Caspian. Not all were caught; Nita Callahan broke free, as did Raven -- who then returned a second time to the struggle in order to destroy her net-spell that no more would be trapped. Some came willingly, as did Draco Malfoy, who swore service to the White Rider and to the Dark as well -- and then betrayed his friend, Danny Fenton. Although he later recanted, the damage was done.
As the poison began to spread through Milliways, touching all those who were concerned for their friends and the safety of their home, something of her motives began to become clear: not only was Blodwen seeking a route of escape from the bar, but she also had vowed to return vengeance and loss upon Bran Davies, who had restored the memory of one John Rowlands, once her husband and to a degree loved -- and then lost, for a second time. She kept that promise in several ways, from arranging for the theft of his golden harp to nearly destroying his father Owen. She did destroy other things -- among them, through her actions and her influence over so many people, she harmed others' trust, safety, treasured memory, friendships, comfort, happiness, faith, security, and very nearly the bar itself.
Meanwhile, the Black Rider was strangely quiet during this time of rising -- but not idle, as he was collecting power from all of these events in the bar, with the goal of restoring himself to his former glory. On one sunny afternoon, he and Blodwen met outside, at which point he triggered the spell to regain his strength. After this, the two of them walked away together into the growing darkness to set plans for that evening-- Twelfth Night.
Twelfth Night is the time of the Dark's greatest power, and it was on Twelfth Night that Blodwen made her final move -- with Mary as her bespelled guide, she left the bar for the greenhouse portal to Yorkshire, and freedom. Others were far less pleased, and a desperate battle was waged for Mary's life, to stop the White Rider's escape, and to protect the bar and the minds of those within it from the destruction that would be caused by the raging Dark at the height of its power.
And then, there was an unexpected turn of events.
Things are calmer now, as those affected pick up the pieces and return to their normal lives. As for Blodwen? The White Rider is regaining her strength... somewhere else.
