Nothing happened.<br/><br/>The night in the gardens remained unchanged, the wind whispering between the trees and playfully rustling leaves. Small creatures and insects stirred, their noise just on the edge of hearing.<br/><br/>One by one, gradually the noises ceased. Birds fell silent, the small animals froze, insects ceased to call. At the last the very wind itself seemed to still, til the two women were left in a bubble of perfect silence.<br/><br/>From the darkest spot in the gardens, where the Sluagh had indicated, tendrils of power crept outwards, like shadows snaking along the ground. They enveloped the Princess, coiling around her slowly. The light seemed to fade, darkness pressing in from the corners of their eyes, til all that could be seen was a single point of dim light ahead of them. Then that too was gone.<br/><br/>The darkness was absolute, and all around was the feel of Cernunnos' power. It seemed to circle and flow around her. No, not circle, not flow. It stalked. It was the night, and everything that was held in the darkness that waits beyond the dim circle of firelight.<br/><br/>Abruptly the darkness was gone, and the woman found herself in a small stone tunnel. Behind, it stretched into the darkness, but ahead of her it opened up, and torches could be seen burning on the walls.