Basically a 'filling in' chapter as Drustina makes her way unobstructed up the West Coast of Hibernia. The Munster men who act as her pilots can only advise her as far the estuary of the River Shannon for the kingdoms are divided tribally near this border and the Vikings are active in the Shannon estuary.

The Angry Mermaid 98
Or
Y Morforwyn Dicllon 98.

With Queen Marag securely set upon her throne again, Drustina and her companions were keen to get on; but not before sorting out the issues of the treasonable bishops and the superstitious, treacherous soldiers of the royal guard who were supposed to be sworn to protect Marag.

In the court, Drustina had demonstrated to Marag just how forceful and yet fair a queen had to be if she was to earn and keep both respect and affection from the men around her. After the hearings and punishments in the Brethon court that Drustina had presided over, she came at last to her explanations for her actions to Marag.

“It’s a matter of balance and justice tempered with authority and firmness,” she explained.

Later, during a private meal with only Marag, her most senior chieftains, Carl, Althred and Udris; Drustina explained to the young queen what her hopes and ambitions were. She did this to reassure the young queen and her chieftains once again that she had no designs on Marag's realm.

“I have no ambition to steal anybody-else’s realms. I seek only to recover what was rightfully mine, namely the beaches and harbours and the fields and forests that extended right up the foot of Yr Wyddfa. That is where my family have harvested timber and built boats since time immemorial. I seek little else; for there is little else for me to recover. I know my parents and my grandparents are dead and I must presume my brothers and cousins are dead. They disappeared after one of our battles with the cursed Vikings.”

Queen Marag bit her lip uncertainly. She had few words of comfort to offer the Lioness for she well knew how hurtful was the loss of family and the inadequacies of words to heal that hurt. It was the deaths of Marag’s father and uncles that had thrown her onto the throne with no experience and little preparation. Her lack of queenly skills and knowledge were the weapons the bishops had used against her by associating such inexperience and seeming incompetence with her femininity.

Since Drustina had crashed into Marag’s troubled life like some wild storm sent by Nodens, the turmoil and tempestuousness of the Warrior Queen’s actions had opened Marag’s eyes and taught her more in a few days than the whole of her earlier life. Marag was still living in a spin as she desperately tried to assimilate all the shocks and changes. In the first few days of her restoration whilst Drustina was meting out punishments, Marag had gone frequently running to the Lioness and her man in search of advice.

Now the Lioness was telling her that she was leaving, the young queen was in a spin.

“Lioness! Pleeease ... can you not at least leave me one of your generals to advise me about resisting the Vikings, for they are bound to return and probably before this year is out.”

“So who would you have? The Saxon Althred or The Celt Udris, both are proven commanders.”

“Can I not have the giant?”

Drustina smiled and wagged her head.

“No. You cannot have Carl. He is my man and my most stalwart companion. I cannot let him go for I love him as every one of this band of brothers knows. My mind would be in turmoil wondering if he was safe.”

“And so would mine worrying about you Dru.” Carl added.

He turned to Marag and smiled as any man would to a young and seemingly unsullied maid.

“I’m sorry Marag, I’m not available. Your best offer is the one the Lioness has made, Udris or Althred. They are both tested commanders.”

Marag frowned nervously for she had no wish to offend either of the men on offer. Fearful of causing offence she once again turned to Drustina for advice.

“Who would you recommend Lioness?”

Drustina swallowed then let out a choked squawk.

“Hell girl, you put me in a quandary. You ask me who is the better of my remaining commanders. Truly Marag, they would not be my commanders if they were not both good and trustworthy. I can trust either of them with my life and I have done.”

“But they must have different qualities; qualities that would best suite one of them to my needs.”

Drustina turned to Udris and Althred as she slumped defeatedly.

“The girl asks me gentlemen, which of you I think better qualified to help her if the Vikings return. I think first that all of us had best determine the dangers she faces and how to tackle them. Then the girl might be better placed to judge for herself. Here is my idea.

Let each of us each write down what we think then Gisela can read out each list without disclosing the author. Are you happy for that Gisela?”

The young Viking princess felt proud and honoured to be included in this process and nodded enthusiastic agreement. The task was started while Marag's new retainers and chiefs watched approvingly. Drustina and her commanders each wrote down their thoughts then passed them to Gisela who finally read them out while Marag sat with pen and ink. Finally after considerable consultation with her own retainers and arm’s-men, she chose her general. Drustina felt a little miffed that Althred’s list was marginally more comprehensive even than hers.

‘The man’s thought more about it than I have but that’s a good thing. But then, I was not really trying for I am not the one being scrutinised.’
As Marag waved the chosen list she grinned while her retainers nodded again.

“Well it looks like the Saxon Althred.” Marag declared. Drustina had one last question for Marag’s men.

“Are you Chieftains of Munster happy to take counsel and if necessary, commands from a Saxon.”

After some murmuring that appeared consensual one of the older senior chieftains spoke for them all.

“Lioness. Anything is better than the cursed Viking yoke. Yes! We will accept his commands provided they come through our young queen’s mouth. Then we will know there is no plotting or duplicity.”

Drustina turned to Althred and was pleased to see that he showed no offence at the slight suggestion that he might be duplicitous.

‘He’s learning diplomacy I see!’ She thought. ‘It’ll stand him in good stead.’ She smiled at Althred.

“Well Saxon, this will be your acid test. Remember, never be afraid to ask for advice and opinions, it will usually be freely and honestly given. Form your own opinions of your captains, do not let the whispered lie take root and finally always, always gather as much intelligence as you can.”

She then turned to Marag’s men.

Remember this, when next I come to call on Marag’s and your support, the message will come either from Heliox, or Udris or Carl.”

With those final words, Drustina turned to leave but Carl had to give his own advice to Althred.

“Remember Althred. Be cautious, be cunning and never under-estimate the Vikings.”

Drustina grinned as she paused.

“Well said husband. Let us be away.”

They left the same quay they had first set foot upon when they had arrived in Corgheig. Amidst sombre farewells from Marag and her people they said their final farewells. Four hours later, the four Mermaid ships were meeting the swells of the mighty Atlantic.

~~oo000oo~~

Out on the mighty Atlantic, Corgheig pilots who knew the dangerous waters and capes of South West Hibernia were stunned by the sea keeping properties of the four mermaid ships. As they reared and slammed at speed over the long and oft-times fearsomely high Atlantic swells, Drustina smiled at the expressions of disbelief and even fear as poundings that would have shattered the pinewood planking a Viking longship or split a leather-skinned Irish curragh did nothing to the super tough oak hulls.

Drustina felt a visceral satisfaction as she watched the Munster men continually checking the mermaid hulls. They kept flinching at the pounding while their eyes kept flitting from planks to frames and thwarts looking for any failing fittings. To their relief, none appeared. Even after the fourth day, when they finally reached the wide welcoming waters of the great river Shannon, the Mermaid hulls were as sound as ever.

Finally they reached the bar of the mighty river that normally raged tempestuously when a prevailing south-westerly gale blew in driving the biggest of the waves before it. The Munster men had warned Drustina of this and, as an experienced seaman, she took their warning seriously. In the final two days of the passage she had been keeping an experienced eye on the sky and the clouds. Consequently, she had picked her arrival wisely to arrive with wind and tide in her favour.

A long easy north-westerly swell pushed by a steady north-westerly breeze, powered them safely over the bar at high tide. Drustina took full advantage of the beneficial forces the sea God Nodens had sent her and they swept like race-horses into the wide open estuary. When they finally slowed in the calmer waters, the crews relaxed and the Munster men informed her.

“Lioness, this is as far as we take you. The O’Neill Clan control Ulster and the DalGleish Clan used to control Southern Connaught with the Shannon estuary. We believe the Vikings are very active in the estuary so we have no certainty about who is in charge of the north shore. If you want the DalGleish support you must treat with them. It is rumoured that the O’Neill’s are the main power in the land.”

Drustina nodded then asked the men.

“How will you return to Munster?”

“We walk.”

“Do not any of you wish to continue with the adventure by making the journey all around your island country. “

The men hesitated and two younger men who obviously had few family ties or responsibilities agreed to stay with the ships. They grinned as they considered the adventures they might have then they sobered when Drustina warned them.

“It will not be a ride of pleasure my boys. There will be plenty of danger and a real risk of death if we are caught by any Viking forces. They have no love for me and will show me no mercy; so they will treat all of us the same. Immediate death probably awaits us if we are captured. Think long and hard about this. My other companions have.”

Her warnings failed to deter them and Drustina had to admire their pluck. That night they made camp on an isolated beach inside a headland on the southern shores of the great river estuary.

At dawn they spied strangers watching them from a rocky knoll with stunted trees blasted by the wind-born sea salt.

“Who are they?” Carl asked the Munster men.

“They are possibly DalGleish men. Their banner seems to imply that.”

“Call to them in Gaelic.”

One of the Munster men did so and the band of strangers waved slowly. Normally this was interpreted as a friendly but cautious gesture. Drustina decided to accompany one of the Munster men and try to parley with them. One of the young men who had volunteered to go all the way around Hibernia with them, offered to accompany her. She accepted his offer so they walked to edge of the dunes and waved a white flag slowly then waited. The strangers appeared to be discussing something then eventually two of their number came forward to meet the visitors. Soon they were within earshot of each other and Drustina called.

“I am Drustina ap Erin ap Caderyn of Lleyn in Cambria. Who are you?”

Her female voice must have given the other man some reassurance and he called back without hesitation.

“I am Dorvan O’Dalgliesh, prince of this realm. What is your business?”

“Firstly we come in peace; as you can tell we are Celts, like you.”

“If you mean no harm put down your sword, we do not recognise those strange ships.”

Drustina turned to her young companion.

“I suppose I’d better do that. You get ready to run back if they try to take me.”

He wagged his head determinedly.

“Not bloody likely Lioness. If I did that I could never show my face in Munster again. I will wait here with my bow in my hand. That way they will realise I am at least prepared to fight if they are planning a trick. Besides I speak the language better than you.”

Drustina grinned. 'He'll do.' She thought.

“I hoped you’d say something like that. I will remove my sword just as they have asked but my daggers will remain close to my breast.”

Her young companion grinned and was almost tempted to say ‘and very nice breasts too,’ but he bit his tongue. He had seen the skill that handled those daggers; 'the lioness was not a woman to be messed with or insulted'. Drustina read his thoughts and grinned.

"Just watch my back comrade; I’ll watch my front ... and these." (She pressed her hands under her breasts and giggled.)

Relieved that she had shown no offence, he grinned back and wagged his head in genuine affection for the Celtic Queen. Drustina had won over another loyal supporter.

Having made one firm friend she stepped forward into the next valley between the dunes and prepared to try and make more friends.

Dorvan O’Dalgliesh, having realised the stranger approaching him was nought but a woman, also stepped forward whilst sheathing his sword to display his peaceful intent. They met in the fine sand where they sank to their knees and both grinned as they tripped before their extended hands met.

Drustina’s grin grew into a giggle and Dorvan’s into a belly laugh as they flopped to end up with their faces almost touching whilst on their knees in the sand. After a moment’s hesitation Dorvan grinned again.

“Shall I Kiss you or shake your hand maid?”

Drustina smiled at the unwitting compliment.

'He's either a real charmer or a bit blind' She thought.

“I am no maid Sir; I am a mother to six children. But you may kiss me if you think it safe to do so.”

Dorvan’s grin faded for a moment.

“Why? Would I be in danger if I did?”

“If it’s just a kiss, I’ll allow that; anything more and you could end up with your throat slit... with this.”

As they continued kneeling on all fours with their faces almost touching, Drustina deftly slipped her right-hand dagger from her breast scabbard and laid it warm against Dorvan’s throat. The movement was so swift and simple that Dorvan paled momentarily. The blade had appeared as if by magic!

Drustina felt his ‘Adam’s-apple’ jerk as Dorvan swallowed with fright so she removed it and instead pressed her lips against his. His eyes brightened with relief and surprise and he responded accordingly by returning her kiss. They lingered for several seconds until a trust was established then Drustina knelt back on her heels and grinned as Dorvan remained with his hands pressed into the sand and his face looking up like a contented wolf.

“You kiss well Irish-man, clean and sweet. A girl could readily fall for your charms. Let’s hope you’re as honourable in all other dealings.”

He sat up and settled to sit on his heels as he studied the maid’s beauty.

“And yours’ was as sweet a kiss as ever a man could wish for. Now tell me girl who the hell you are and what brings you to these shores at such a dangerous time?”

“Oh truly I understand the dangers sir; I am Drustina, the Lioness of Carthage.

Dorvan’s jaw sagged as he gasped and looked again at the beautifully tooled dagger lying jabbed in the sand. His noble’s eye quickly recognised the quality and he hurriedly stood up whilst extending his hand to help the maid. There was no need, Drustina’s agility brought her to her feet with equal ease and she then poked her toe at her dagger to flick it easily into her outstretched hand. As she sheathed the weapon under her bust Dorvan’s eyes widened as he recognised her skill with weapons. To emphasise his acceptance he smiled somewhat ruefully.

“I think you had better collect your sword madam, before we meet my father the king. I’m thinking you consider that sword your badge of rank and authority. I apologise, I had no idea who you were when I first saw you across the dunes.”

“I take no offence Prince Dorvan; I hardly look like some noble queen paying a formal visit, do I? And thank you for letting me carry my sword, come let us go and recover it. I do consider it as my third hand and yes, it is something akin to my badge of office so I thank you. Now, how far is it to your father’s house?”

“At least an hour’s gallop, but my house is just a mile or two atop those cliffs yonder; I can get you horses there.”

As Drustina shook the sand from her boots, Dorvan called his squire to his side and explained.

“Go back to the house. Get a dozen horses then send a message to my father. Tell him we have very important guests tonight!”

With those instructions issued, the young Prince and the Lioness went to meet the rest of her companions. By the time introductions and courtesies were completed, the price’s squire returned with a score of horses.

After stopping by at the Dorvan’s home which Drustina recognised as little more than a fortified watchtower, they rode on to the castle and home of Dal O’Dalgliesh, the Clan leader and minor Irish king.

~~oo000oo~~

http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/44661/angry-mermaid-ch...