Pen y ffrwd – Some Thoughts

In spite of the fact that there is obviously a supernatural element, I wanted rational and consistent answers  to the following questions in particular :

1. Why, in all those years that Cerian and her lover sat side by side, was there no physical contact until she was ready to pass over ?
2. Why could he understand her words, but she couldn't understand his, only hearing them as sounds ' the rushing of the wind, some clicking like two stones being tapped together, and finally the faint sound of bells' ?
3. How could the gold charm exist physically in both worlds ?

After some deliberation, these are my answers :

1. There is a transparent bridge which connects the two worlds, which comes out on the Pen y ffrwd hillside.  Although he appeared to be in her world, he was actually sitting on the bridge.  This was why the grass underneath him was never marked, and they could never physically touch. When she finally did feel his physical touch, it was on the two occasions when he was pulling her onto the bridge.

2. He could understand her words because she was saying them in her world, and he was on a projection of his world into hers.  She couldn't understand his words, as words, because at that stage she wasn't in his world at all.  (Anyone else think that's a bit of a fudge ?)

3. Ah the gold charm.  Bit of story in itself this, so make yourself a cup of tea, turn off the phone and get comfortable

In his world (I must gave him an actual name sometime, now that Cerian is in his world and can hear it as a word), they do not mine for gold.  There is a finite store, which came from somewhere long ago (maybe another story).  It has the unique property in that it is the only substance which can exist physically in all worlds.  It can only be borrowed and must eventually be returned.  He explains to Cerian she only had the charm to tide her over, and that now she is in his world she must give it back, so that it can be melted down and returned to the communal store. Needless to say, Cerian is much miffed about this, and not inclined to hand it over. 

What do you mean, I say, I only had the charm to tide me over ?  To tide me over what ?

To tide you over missing Khyber.

I still miss her !  I clutch the charm, tearful.

But you don't need to miss her any more.  He gives his deep, humming laugh, and reaches out to stroke my cheek.

I frown, suddenly suspicious, remembering that Khyber died in the quarter of an hour it took me to run down the hill to the vet's house and bring him back.

She was gone by the time we got back …       

He nods, still humming. The bridge ends at the edge of her field.  If she had been in her stable I would not have been able to reach her.  After you left, I knew the end was near, so I came and sat with her, and invited her to come with me. 

But you didn't tell me at the time !

How could I ? We could not speak. The best I could do was to give you the charm. And remember, I did not know that when your time came, you would choose to come with me.  Or even that you would have the choice.  If you had died anywhere but Pen y ffrwd, I could not have reached you… he shivers at the thought, and then his expression becomes mock stern.  And you did turn me down once…

I kiss him to say sorry.  Later, much later, I roll over and ask him to undo the thread at the back of my neck. I will see Khyber again, and gallop her on the Pen y ffrwd hillside forever.