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Having relieved Chester Drustina now visits the River Mersea (River Mersey) to determine how best the obstruct Harald Cold-bllod in his efforts to occupy Southern Britannia from the north.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-One-

There was a hint of curl to the leaves that they passed, once vibrant greens were withered slightly from the touch of frost. The air was crisp and cool as the trio made their way down the side of the mountain, Aponi, Etu and Machk heading into the unknown, wary and yet hopeful.

Etu glanced quickly toward Aponi as they walked, behind her Machk slumbered in the papoose. "Are you fearful?" He asked.

She forced a smile, "Yes, and no." Glancing back toward him, she squinted at the bright sun that was filtering through the first few trees that they came to. "I am only afraid of how Machk will be treated."

"I told you..." He began.

She interrupted him, "You did..I'm sorry, it is just hard for me to trust right now."

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Jack and Jill, by Trudy
- 14 - Birthing Twins

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-Twenty Two-

After half of a day, including a bit of trial and error, the beautiful young 'mother to be' discovered if she put feathers upon the opposite end of her arrow shaft, she would have much more control. It took several tries before she realized that there was only one way that they could be positioned to prevent them from being shredded off each time they were shot.

Attaching the feathers was simple enough. She went only as far as a nearby pine tree and utilized the sap as her glue of choice. Satisfied that it would work, she began to create over two dozen of the straight little wooden sticks. First by notching out one end allowed it to rest on the string, then she began the tedious task of gluing the feathers to the shaft.

She took a walk to her favorite location to find little shards of slate, she carefully placed the sharp stone into a leather pouch she had and carried it back to the cave. With a rounded stone, she would break off pieces to create a definite point at one end and a relative square on the other to attach it to her arrow shaft.

Her only problem from this point forward, aside from working around her distended stomach, seemed to be coming up with the correct weight of the actual arrow-tips. Too heavy and it would impede the accuracy, to light and it had no knock down power. It was a fine line between success and total failure, her very life depended upon the ability to provide food for her and her yet unborn child.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-Eighteen-

Etu stood at an unfamiliar edge of a meadow, he was preparing to hunt for deer. The area he was in was new to him, for it was directly in the middle of a very thick wood. Animal trails crisscrossed the entire open area, and he felt as if he were patient, a sturdy young buck might pass within a relatively close distance.

It was his way of trying to repay Kutkutuk's family for their kindness, and for nursing him back to health. He noticed a game trail that crossed the meadow and then slowly skirted the woods. Scouting the trees, he found one that would be easy enough to climb, allowing him to scale perhaps the distance, high enough above ground, where he could use it to his advantage.

He sat quietly in a low hanging limb, perhaps the height of two men upon each shoulders from the ground. He was watching the outlying area for any movement that would alert him that deer were in the area. At the far end of the meadow there were three deer quietly nibbling at the green shoots.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-Twelve-

The comfortable days grew even hotter as time wore on for the young female, her predicament made all the more unbearable due to her condition. Smells made her stomach lurch, her breasts always seemed sore...was it this way for all women? She shuddered at the thought of thinking herself a woman, yet here she was in this form and getting used to it. Sadly, she felt it was something she would just have to do for the remainder of her days.

Often, she would make her way down the steep incline to crawl into the water, it's coolness helping calm the child growing within. Each trip down, caused her to Realize that as her middle grew, climbing up and down some of the more precarious rocks that were involved in moving about on her mountain, travel would soon become next to impossible.

The Angry Mermaid.

Drustina finally returns to Ethelred, the Saxon King of Wessex where they finalise their plans to defend against the anticipated Viking invasions. Chester (or the old Roman fortress city of Deva is deemed to be the most likely place where Harald Cold-blood will attack.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-Four-

Etu retraced his steps until once again he emerged in the area where the Sky Dancer spirit arose from within the cloud. As he passed the spot where she had been slumbering, he noticed a few of the tiny dancers as they flit and fluttered as though looking for where their queen had gone. Now, he didn't actually think 'queen' but the translation would be intelligible, however the meaning is quite the same.

Even at a slow jog, Etu was a half a day from his tribe, that return trip and his meeting with the Sky Dancer queen, gave him a great deal to think about. He replayed their meeting over and over again in his mind. Each time, he would pause his memory on her naked form. Almost unable to forget her beauty.

In nearly nineteen seasons, he had never witnessed such great beauty and feminine grace possessed by a single form. This pale Spirit, or as he would call her, Aponi which literally translates to Butterfly, held him transfixed as he watched her disappear right before his very gaze. He marveled at the speed of the beautiful nymph of the forest, eluding his pursuit as only one with the forest could.

A Quiet Strength
by Anon Allsop

-Part One-

-One-

The young man stretched out on his bunk, pulled deeper into sleep by the constant hum of the ship's powerful engines. As the welcome sleep began to claim him, a electronic beeping pulled him back into the land of wakefulness. "Shit!" he groaned as he swung his feet outside his bunk. "Hang on, I got to get some clothes on!" He called out to the unseen visitor outside his cabin door. Once he had himself covered up, he called out to the computer. "Enter."

The door quickly slid to the side, making a sound of air escaping as it moved. The man looked into the eyes of his visitor and took a step backward.

"First Officer Stockwell, the High Commander requests your presence immediately." The stoic security officer advised.

"Let me get dressed first." Park replied as he began to search for his uniform pants.

"Now, sir." The Officer stepped inside the room, "I have been ordered to bring you right this minute– just as you are."

"Did he indicate what the reason for this unusual request was about?" Park complained as he tossed the pants on his bunk, "I just finished sixteen hours on the bridge, I really need to get some sleep." He pulled on a thin robe and fastened it closed.

"Sir." He said as he motioned for the young officer to exit ahead of him. As he passed the Security Officer, he noticed him place a hand upon a phaser that hung from his hip.

Introduction: This is another story that fits into Part 2 of the Cynthia Chronicles. Chronologically, it takes place a little more than a year after the ending of Adam and the Three Wishes. There are some interesting parallels to that story; however, there are significant differences.

If you are not familiar with the series, you should read An Incremental Journey, Cynthia and the Reluctant Girlfriend, Cynthia and the Dumpster Diver, Cynthia and the Moment of Truth, Cynthia and the High School Years, Parts 1 & 2, Charli and the Man Cave and Adam and the Three Wishes. Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling and Randi and the College Professor take place about seven years after this story.

Introduction: This is another story that fits into Part 2 of the Cynthia Chronicles. Chronologically, it takes place a little more than a year after the ending of Adam and the Three Wishes. There are some interesting parallels to that story; however, there are significant differences.

If you are not familiar with the series, you should read An Incremental Journey, Cynthia and the Reluctant Girlfriend, Cynthia and the Dumpster Diver, Cynthia and the Moment of Truth, Cynthia and the High School Years, Parts 1 & 2, Charli and the Man Cave and Adam and the Three Wishes. Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling and Randi and the College Professor take place about seven years after this story.

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.