Having put the Vikings to flight Drustina goes in search of her partner Carl the Saxon. After finding him,she learns of the Maigue Abbey treasures being stolen and is successful in recovering them.
Then she learns about 'The Book of Brendan' and resolves to have a closer search to see if the books pages can be recovered.

St Brendan is reputed to have crossed the Atlantic before the Vikings.

The Angry Mermaid 106
Or
Y Morforwyn Dicllon 106

Drustina was not surprised that very few people turned out to welcome the three mermaids back to Limerick. Apart from Udris and his crew, most of the population were sleeping off the effects of the victory celebrations and an air of exhausted dissolution had settled over the city. She and her commanders accompanied the Monk as protection for his holy treasures as they picked their way through the deserted streets to the Cathedral church. There the Abbot of the Maigue Abbey was meeting the Bishop.
On learning that the bulk of the treasures had been recovered the Abbot was overjoyed but it was soon tempered with disappointment when he learned of the missing books.

“Are you saying you found none of the books brother?”

“We found clasps and cornices and buckles that bound the books and most of the jewels that adorned them but of the writings within, there are none.”

“What! Even the great book of Brendan?” The Bishop gasped.

The monk nodded sorrowfully.

“That especially your grace, I would have thought the raiders being seafarers, would have cherished the writings there in. I fear we might have decorated the book and it’s casement with too many adornments and embellishments. The glitter must have been too great a temptation to the Viking’s greedy, ignorant eyes. See here, these are the gold hinges and lock to the case that held the book and these are the protective cornices to the leather covers. Of the vellum pages and leather covers, there is nothing.”
The bishop turned to the Lioness and her lieutenants.

“You found no parchments or vellum at all?”

Drustina was truthful but sparing with the truth. She made no mention of the other loot that the Vikings had taken from other churches and monasteries.

“We only searched the river as far up from the wreck as to the place where we found the bag containing these trinkets. Once we found this, we decided our duty was done. Besides my men were cold and hungry after diving in the cold water for several hours, as was I. We did not realise these little fittings were parts of an important book.”

The bishop turned to the monk sharply.

“Did you not think to tell one of the greatest travellers and navigators since St Brendan himself that the book was missing?”

The monk slumped fearfully as he groped for an excuse. Drustina sensed that the Bishop was a bit of a bully. She could see that he was seeking a scapegoat for the loss of one of the most important books in all Hibernia and what was worse, during his tenure of the Bishopric. She stepped in forcefully.

“I don’t think you have cause to blame just one monk your grace. This was an exceptionally powerful and fast moving force of raiders. The whole abbey would have had little time to hide the treasures.”

“But the Great Book is priceless. That above all else should have been hidden!”

Drustina spoke softly and slowly but her voice conveyed the iron will behind the mask of civility.

“Above-all-else your grace is the gift of life itself. They saved themselves and rightfully. No mere book is worth the life of a single person let alone a whole abbey of your holy men.

I regret the loss of the book, and indeed, as a navigator and adventurer, I and my lieutenants would have dearly loved to have studied the Hibernian’s book of his travels. Besides, perhaps the pages were scattered during the raid. They might never have been dropped in the river. Have you or the abbot or any of the other brothers thought to search the banks of the river instead of sitting here wringing your hands and blaming each other? It’s only three miles from the abbey to where we sank the ship.”

An embarrassing silence settled over the meeting as Drustina drew her own conclusions. It was obvious all the other monks and the abbot had abandoned the abbey in a cowardly haste. It was apparent that the lone monk had decided to try and locate the Vikings by himself and plead for the book if nothing else. It was his immense good fortune to have encountered the Lioness entirely by accident.

Realising that the Lioness had just acted as a de-facto ally defending his case, the Monk spoke up a little more boldly.

“Might I suggest that instead of bickering here, why don’t we all go and search the banks of the river? It hasn’t rained since the abbey was raided.”

Drustina turned and smiled as she agreed. She usually preferred action to words.

“What an excellent suggestion brother monk. I have a hundred men at your service plus whosoever of your abbey is prepared to help. First however, my men must eat.”

Drustina now showed her political teeth in demonstrating to the bullying bishop just who held the whip- hand. After all she had over a hundred battle hardened troops at her back and the undying gratitude of king Dal. She made her requirements absolutely clear.

“Bishop, please see to it that my men are fed. I’m sure your Cathedral Church will have stores enough. Now I must see King Dal and discuss the fate of a very important prisoner.”

She left Heliox to sort out the victualing of her men while she and Carl left for the king’s castle.

By then, the castle was only just waking up despite it being late afternoon and Drustina wasted no time informing the king of their capture of Harald Cold-blood’s cousin Guthrun.

“What!” The king almost shrieked with amazement. “You captured a Viking Jarl alive; and you say he’s Cold-bloods cousin!”

“Well he was asleep actually.” Carl chuckled. “We have him manacled to the mast of my ship.”

The king was beside himself with anticipation.

“Can you bring him here?”

“If you wish,” Drustina conceded, “but he is Carl’s prisoner and a very valuable one. If any ransoms are to be made, Carl will be the beneficiary. It would be convenient though if you could secure him in your dungeon. I have had to set a score of men just to guard him despite his being manacled to the mast!”

“Don’t worry; I have a dungeon from which he will never escape. I must see this jarl.”

“Be our guest, Carl replied. He is down at the quay right now. Go and collect him if you wish. I however need some food. There is food being prepared at the Cathedral so I will partake there.”

“So shall I,” Drustina added. “While we are eating, why don’t you take a company of your men and bring Guthrun to your dungeon.
It’s safe, he’s securely shackled.”

King Dal was in high good humour. Holding Harald Cold-blood’s cousin a prisoner would be a valuable bargaining counter if they ever found themselves in a negotiating situation. He was itching to go down to the quay in his excitement to secure the jarl and incarcerate him.

They separated in the city square as Drustina and Carl returned to the cathedral to eat while King Dal hurried down to the quay.
Food had been grudgingly supplied by the bishop and the meal was just being served as Carl and Drustina appeared in the refectory doorway. They took their places next to Gisela and the young guide who were secretly relieved to find themselves having to squeeze up as Carl’s bulk joined Drustina at their table. Several lascivious looks had been turned their way by the bishop and his dean.

As the atmosphere relaxed the girls opened up and they chatted excitedly about the past three day’s events.

“D’you know,” Drustina remarked, “I never got your name young lady.”

The young guide paled slightly and her pallor warned Drustina and Carl that it was something she did not want spread abroad.

Drustina raised her eyebrows slightly and nodded almost imperceptibly before whispering.

“I’ll ask you later, when there are no unwelcome ears.”

The girl smiled and nodded with relief and they rose from the table to return to Dal’s palace. Drustina paid her respects to the bishop who told her he was dining with the king that night so he expected to see them there.

“We’ll look for the Great Book of Brendan tomorrow. It doesn’t look as though it’s going to rain tonight.” She reassured both the bishop and the abbot. “Just make sure all the other monks are on hand to help in the search.”

With the search arranged, Drustina, and her three lieutenants accompanied the teenaged girls through the raucous streets while Drustina learned the young guide’s secret. She finally opened up as they walked past the noisy bars then turned a corner and continued along a deserted street.

“I have run away from my father’s house because he mistreats me. I have been a virtual prisoner in the house since I was but twelve years age.”

“How so?” Drustina pressed.

“He accuses me of being a wanton slut because I am the product of a rape. My mother was raped by earlier Viking raiders so all my older siblings are half brothers and half sisters. Despite this I have much to thank my father for, he gave me his name and fed me and educated me as one of his own. Sadly, unlike my half brothers and sisters, I am a free spirit. Because of this and my looks, he is determined to keep me pure for the marriage bed.”

“So how did he come by that opinion of you? Did you give him cause to think it?”

“No. I was just kissing a boy whose family was visiting my father’s house and the ostler caught us in the stables. I wasn’t doing anything else but my father jumped to some awful conclusions.”

Drustina sighed; it was a familiar story but the girl’s mention of an ostler, told the Lioness that the girl was no ordinary peasant girl. If they had stables and an ostler then the house would be larger than the ordinary rustic hovel.

“So am I to presume your father has a suitable marriage lined up for you?”

“Yes; and the suitor he has lined up is a horrible person. I know he is a bully and he thrashes his horses. A man that mistreats his animals usually mistreats his family. In fact I know he mistreats women, some of his servant women have told me. They warned me when they learned a marriage was to be arranged between him and me.”

Drustina nodded and noted that Gisela was nodding sympathetically as she wiped a tear from her own eyes. The idea that men who were cruel to animals were also cruel to people was a common analogy and there was a lot of truth in it. If Drustina was to help the girl she needed to know more of the situation and she pressed her previous question.

”Well young lady, before I can even hope to help you out of this impasse I need to know much more; like your name for example.”

“It’s Una; Una Dalgliesh.”

Drustina frowned.

“Oh! Any relation?”

The girl nodded then clarified her answer.

“Yes, but we are a distant branch. By adoption I am a fourth cousin once removed to Prince Dorvan but in fact there is no blood connection.”

“So why has nobody recognised you here in the city?”

“As I said, until I encountered you in Askea I had been a virtual prisoner since I was twelve. A girl can change a lot between twelve and fifteen. Besides I have coloured my hair with dirt and mud. It is normally paler than yours or Gisela’s. People haven’t seen me around in public and nobody recognises me as the King’s fourth cousin. In the turmoil and pandemonium of the Viking raids, I managed to escape the house and I’m not going back. Can I join your army like Gisela?”

“Have you any skill with weapons?”

“I can fire a bow and I can use a kitchen knife skilfully.”

Drustina smiled indulgently.

“I’m afraid there’s a lot more to it than that girl. You would have to be proficient with a sword; Gisela is.”

“I can learn. Gisela has learned.”

“Gisela has been practicing with weapons since she was about nine!!! You can’t use her as an example.”

Una’s shoulders slumped with despondency and Drustina fell to thinking about a solution to the girl’s future. The group fell into silence as they continued back to the palace. As they entered the square in front of the Palace entrance, a commotion started at the Palace gates. People were scattering and shouting as they ran to escape whatever the danger was. Drustina and her lieutenants drew their swords then cursed as they recognised the source of the pandemonium.

“How the hell did that brute escape?” Carl cursed.

“I don’t know but he’s got Price Dorvan as a hostage.” Drustina observed. “That’s why nobody is challenging him.

“They’re panicking like headless chickens! Look, the king’s guards are too afraid to approach.”

“Yes, because the brute has a dagger to Dorvan’s throat.”

By now Guthrun, the giant Viking was literally dragging Dorvan the royal prince by the scruff of his neck as the Viking lumbered towards the quay. Drustina and her lieutenants sprinted towards the menace then challenged him. Carl’s voice rang out across the square.

“Hey, Viking! D’you think you can escape? We are a hundred proven swordsman. Release the prince now and we might consider clemency!”

Guthrun roared his contempt.

“Huh! I see only three men and a wench. I have slain a dozen of you vermin at one sitting! There isn’t a man alive who can best me with the sword.”

For emphasis he raised a huge broadsword and with an easy flick of his wrist he pointed it unerringly towards the Lioness.
Drustina decided to intervene. She had no idea what effect her voice would have on the massive jarl but once he recognised her as ‘The Lioness of Carthage’ she hoped he might at least consider something other than dragging his hapless hostage towards the ships. She was close enough now to make herself heard over the clamour of panic amongst the citizens of Limerick.

“There may not be a man who can best you Viking but this bitch can. This wench as you call her; killed your cousin Blueface, over ten years ago in the battle of the Val in Dumnonii.”

“You lie you bitch! It was a lad scarce fifteen and he was lucky, lucky to escape with only a cut arse! You are a wench. Put down your sword and I’ll show you a real sword.”

“And I’ll show you a scarred arse Viking. Look!”

She turned and whipped down her britches to expose a beautifully curved arse with a long, thick, angry scar almost dividing the right cheek. Guthrun stared disbelievingly as Drustina added.

“And I was not fifteen! I was just in my thirteenth summer. Now release the Prince and we’ll consider clemency!”

Guthrun roared his contempt.

“You know full well I could never escape from here alone. I hold this wretch until you decided to take me and I can die nobly from your swords but I promise you this. The Hibernian vermin will be the first to die and the next twenty men who attack me.”

They had reached an impasse for the Viking was now held at bay. Nobody was prepared to tackle the giant save Carl who being no mean size himself, was still a head shorter than the Viking. He turned to his partner.

“D’you want me to take him Lioness?”

Drustina spoke very softly so that Guthrun would not hear.

“No Carl. The first thing he’ll do is slit Dorvan’s throat and the prince doesn’t deserve that. We must find another way. What we must do is somehow entice the giant and his hostage down to the quay. I have my trusty bow hidden on The Angry mermaid and I might be able to end this nonsense with one well placed arrow but you must be ready to attack as soon as my arrow finds its mark. It’s vital the Viking’s sword does not have time to kill the prince.”

“I follow you. So how do we get him to the quay?”

“I’ll torment him with my Toledo blade. With the prince hampering his actions he won’t be able to catch me but I’ll entice him to pursue me as I back away from him and towards the quay.”

“Well, I’ll warrant you are a crack shot with your bow but it’s still a risky play.”

“As I back away from him, he’s bound to follow me you, Udris and Heliox follow us and bring the girls. Guthrun still has an eye for Gisela, albeit a possessive, selfish greedy one. He would like nothing more than to somehow escape with Gisela as his captive. I’m hoping that will be bait enough to spring my trap. While I torment him, you explain to Gisela. Let her make herself obvious to him without leaving herself open to capture.”

“Got you Lioness.” Carl grinned then paused thoughtfully. “But you take care now. He may be desperate and suicidal but he’s still determined to die by the sword. It’s his way into Valhalla.”

“Oh he’ll die alright and by the sword, but I want him dead without any loss to ourselves. Tell Heliox to warn the king but tell them the Lioness is attending to it. My plan is to pierce his arrogant mouth with an arrow down on the quay.”

With a plan worked out, Drustina stepped forward and stood not ten feet from the giant Viking and challenged him to a duel. The man snorted his contempt.

“You’ll not catch me with that ploy. Come once foot nearer and this Hibernian prince dies.”

Drustina spat at his feet then accused him of being a coward as she transferred her sword to her left hand and reached over her shoulder as though attending to an itch. Before Guthrun could determine what the lioness was about, one smooth, lightening fast movement sent her dagger whistling towards the arm that was wrapped around the prince.

Drustina had noticed that the prince was still wearing his ceremonial cuirass from the celebrations of the previous night. If her dagger pierced the Viking’s arm (as it probably would,)it still wouldn’t pierce Prince Dorvan’s chest plate. Her observation proved true and such was the speed of her strike, it seemed as though the dagger appeared by magic protruding out of Guthrin’s arm.
Guthrun let out a roar of enraged fury but he still held tight to his hostage. Now he realised however that the bitch had just raised the ante big time. He had hoped somehow though he knew not how, to negotiate an escape whilst using the prince as his hostage. Now he was bleeding extensively from his left arm and he knew he would have to act fast it there was to be sort of battle ending with a warrior’s death. The trouble was that the bitch had moved out of immediate range of his sword and he lurched off in pursuit to take issue with the Lioness’s sword.

To keep him from realising that she was enticing him towards the quay and her ship Angry Mermaid, Drustina occasionally exchanged blows with his mighty blade and she quickly realised that he was a very dangerous adversary. Her arm felt the force of his strikes through her own blade and she knew she was facing a deadly danger. Every time his massive sword struck her blade the metal rang like a bell and the shock hurt her arm. His eyes glittered with a sense of victory as he saw her arm visibly sag from the shock of his strike. His rage turned to greedy anticipation as his thoughts turned to his dying reputation as the nemesis of the ‘Scourge of the Norse’

‘Surely the gods would allow his soul to enter Valhalla if he arrived at the gates with the Lioness’s name on his sword.’ He dreamed.

With this thought now taking hold of his sanity he upped his pace and struggled forward to engage her while his left arm grew weaker from the embedded dagger. They arrived at the quayside where Drustina disengaged from the duel and sprinted towards her ship. There she quickly un-bagged her precious bow and nocked an arrow as Guthrun paused uncertainly on the quay as he debated how to get aboard the ship and there finally administer the final blow that would despatch the Whore of the north to hell. He paused too long before his crazed brain realised she how had her bow pointing unerringly at his face. Then he realised he could not even use the Prince Dorvan’s body as a shield because his left arm was too weakened by the dagger to lift the prince in front of his face.

He decided the best option was to kill his hostage out of hand then dodge aside and present an impossible prancing target as he approached the bitch. To this end he raised his sword to draw the blade across Dorvan’s throat.

This was the move both Drustina and Carl had been waiting for. Carl had approached behind the Viking with sword poised and when Drustina loosed her arrow he lunged forward to block the Viking’s blade even as the arrow sliced through the Viking’s mouth and out through helmet strap and cheek just missing the jaw and ear. Guthrun screamed with agonised rage and went to wrench his sword across Dorvan’s throat when he realised another sword had jammed his blade over his shoulder from behind. In desperation he pulled down on the other sword with the hilt of his own sword thus trapping Carl’s blade over his shoulder and a brief stalemate was reached.

Drustina was nocking a second arrow and looking where she could place it when a girl’s scream surprised them all and Una had slipped around behind Carl and leapt up to seize the arrow protruding out of Guthrun’s jaw. The giant Viking tried to elbow her off with his sword arm but only succeeded in losing his grip on Dorvan with his weakened left arm. As he slid from under Guthrun’s arm, Dorvan made a grab for the dagger in Guthrun’s left arm and caused the giant to stagger with pain and imbalance as three figures clung desperately to his huge frame. Dorvan managed to seize the dagger and slash at Guthrun’s arm before the Viking swung his left arm wildly to slam the prince aside before he reached around his neck and seized Una’s hand. His mighty hand though weakened by the dagger, still managed to crush the girl’s wrist and she let loose an agonised shriek as her fingers became numb and she released her grip on the protruding arrow. The pitch and volume of her scream surprised everybody not least Guthrun who winced and took a step to steady himself as he decided how to free himself from the threat of the Saxon’s sword.
This action cost him the battle for once his legs were spread, Dorvan was no longer a shield and Carl was no longer in line behind the giant. Drustina now had another decent target. She loosed her second arrow into Guthrun’s un-armoured thigh and debated what weapon to next use; her sword or another arrow. The decision was taken out of her hands as Gisela dashed up behind the giant and thrust a dagger into Guthrun’s side to pierce the Viking’s heart.

Guthrun knew his end had come and he let out a yell of agonised relief as he knew he had died in battle and his soul would enter Valhalla. His last words were.

“Thank you Lioness! I die a hero!” Before Carl yanked his sword back and sliced into Guthrun’s neck. The Giant crashed forward and fell between the stone quay and The Angry Mermaid as Drustina cursed.

“Damn. I wanted him alive as a hostage and bargaining chip!”

Carl stood looking at the corpse as the armour took it down into the water while Dorvan sat recovering to the side and Una crouched whimpering as she tenderly supported her crushed wrist. Gisela stood beside Carl panting with relief and shock as she realised she had just killed her own cousin. Her eyes followed Carl’s gaze and she stared at the blood on the water. It could have been her blood then a cold thought struck her.

‘Technically, it was her blood ... Guthrun was her cousin.’

As Drustina started to re-bag her bow, King Dal arrived demanding to know the situation. Drustina gave it to him straight and demanded to know how the Viking had broken free. Dal in turn demanded to know from his son Dorvan for the Prince must have been close at hand when Guthrun broke free otherwise; how had Guthrun managed to lose the manacles and take the prince hostage?

~~oo000oo~~