As long as he bore within him the shadow of Rhiannon this world would never accept him as a man. Honor he might have but never anything more and the lurking fear of the Cursed One would remain. Too many centuries of hate had grown around that name.
Rhiannon had redeemed his crime but even so, as long as Mars lived, he would be remembered as the Cursed One.
As though in answer, for the first time since Caer Dhu, the dark invader stirred and his thought-voice whispered in Carse’s mind.
“ Go back to the Tomb and I will leave you, for I would follow my brothers. After that you are free. I can guide you back along that pathway to your own time if you wish. Or you can remain here.”
And still Carse did not know.
He liked this green and smiling Mars. But as he looked at the Sea Kings, who were waiting for his answer, and then beyond them through the windows to the White Sea and the marshes, it came to him that this was not his world, that he could never truly belong to it.
He spoke at last and as he did so he saw Ywain’s face turned toward him in the shadows.
“Emer knew and the Halflings also that I was not of your world. I came out of space and time, along the pathway which is hidden in the Tomb of Rhiannon.”
He paused to let them grasp that and they did not seem greatly astonished. Because of what had happened they could believe anything of him, even though it be beyond their comprehension.
Carse said heavily, “A man is born into one world and there he belongs. I am going back to my own place.”