Chapter 11: A cold reception

With Eastorhyld leading, since she was the one who knew the way, followed by Marjorie then Hild and Jane, I was left to bring up the rear. We went towards the stream and to the small path near the outcrop of saplings. This was a path I had seen before and thought it was just a path that had been made by wild animals coming to drink.

Marjorie was seen talking to Eastorhyld for quite a long-time. She then turned and said, "This is a Druid highway, these criss-cross the country and by keeping to them no harm will befall us."

Highway? I thought it is hardly a path! I must ask Marjorie more about this later.

We travelled all day following the contours of the land and hardly coming out of the woods. I never realized that Britain had been so densely wooded. There was no hardship in the walk other than stepping over fallen trees, crossing over streams and pushing back saplings. The route had been well-chosen for rapid passage from one point to another, we had been keeping up a steady pace all day and I estimated that we had easily covered thirty miles.

During the day Marjorie, Hild and Jane had been deep in conversation. Jane and Hild were brushing up Marjorie's Gaelic and seemed to be easily chatting away to one another.

At long last we decided to call it a day beside a slow flowing stream. Since we were into the summer it was warm, but I thought not as hot as it usually was at this time of the year. Maybe there was something in this planet-warming thing that was the topic of the day when I left my own time.

We got our rations out and this time we cooked out own meals. Before leaving we had each chosen what rations we were to take with us. So each had his or her own selection! There were some funny selections I can say.

It seems that Marjorie and Hild had arranged it between them selves, to share one sleeping-bag and Jane and I the other. Eastorhyld had her own sleeping skins.

We lit a little fire and sat around chatting with one another. Eastorhyld as well, she seemed now to be more willing to join in our activities now that we were on our way to her home.

Marjorie explained the Druids had these trails throughout England. Druids were just not priests but were classed as the super class, teachers, healers and arbitrators. They taught everything by rote. That was why there was no written record found on them in our time. They had the right to talk before a King. They were also the upholders of the law.

When I told her what Breoca had told us to tell Dunstan, she said after confirming this with Eastorhyld that he would obey that request. On hearing this Hild said to Marjorie, "If my mother is still alive will he let her go free?"

"If she is a captive in his fort then he will do so." Marjorie replied to her.

She went on to tell us the Celts were a war like people and fought among themselves as much as with outsiders.

I was beginning to get a feeling about this time period a lot more now that Marjorie had explained some things to us.

It was getting dark and we wanted to make an early start the next day so we crawled into our sleeping-bags.

I woke up at my usual time, it was bright now at this time of the morning. I was just lying there, when I glanced over to where Marjorie and Hild were sleeping, just as Marjorie was getting out of her sleeping-bag. She too had been sleeping almost naked. She was wearing the shortest of panties with fine lace and just covering her crotch, in a shinny gold colour. Her hips were wide and her shoulders narrow. A pear shape figure, just a little more bulbous at the bottom. Her breasts weren't as large as I first though, must be the bra's that gave one that impression.

"Very nice indeed," I called to her.

"I am glad that you approve," she replied with a smile.

Then she turned her back to me and walked out of my view.

We got up, dressed after washing and cleaning our teeth, had a cup of coffee with an oatmeal biscuit for breakfast. We then left on our journey.

The second day the pace slowed down a bit, as we made our way gently up a range of hills. It was during this time when we were quite high. I had a panoramic view of the countryside. Marjorie came up to me when I stopped and said what I had been thinking the day previous.

"Chally have you seen so large an expanse of woodland before in England," she declared.

"No! I was just thinking that the other day. What happened to it all?" I answered her.

"So you liked what you saw this morning. Hild has been telling me some interesting things about you. I'll have to keep an eye on you," she said with a real sexy look and smile.

We continued for another two days. During the third day we turned due south and in the distance I could see a hill with a structure on top. I took the rifle and using the scope I surveyed the hill. It was a fortification and what looked like a ramp leading to a gate. There was an undefined depression in front of the log fortifications, which seemed to encircle the whole hill. I could see smoke rising inside the fortification, but could see no structures.

We continued as before and then we heard a horn signal and the people who had been tending the small fields on the plain went up the ramp and disappeared. We carried on a bit slower because of the fact that Marjorie and I had slowed down.

"This was the typical fortification the Celts had that we have discovered in England. We had only guessed about their structure, but now I see one in its original setting," Marjorie said in exhilaration.

"If this is Dunstan's fort which I think it is, you are going to get a closer view yet Marjorie," I answered her.

We started moving up the ramp and I could see there was a series of three deep trenches. Each about 10 feet deep running around the hill following the contours of the land. I could understand that this would slow down any attacking force, as they would have to show themselves to the defenders, to be able to navigate the trenches. Whoever worked this out was a true tactician in warfare, but it must have taken many work-hours to dig these trenches.

When we were at the level of the second trench, we were challenged.

"It is I Eastorhyld daughter of Dunstan, returning from the land across the waters. These are my companions who have protected me on my travels. I command you to let us enter," she cried out.

"Wait where you are, while I seek approval," was the reply.

We waited about five minutes, when the barricades were lifted. An old man came to the opening with another young man by his side. On seeing them Eastorhyld rushed forward and threw her arms around the old man's neck. Then she repeated the same to the young man, but to him she gave a passionate kiss. She begged us come forward.

As we moved forward all eyes were on us as we came up to the opening to the fort. Our manner of dress was so different from theirs. The men's eyes were riveted to my rifle.

"Come let us talk of your journey and about your strange companions," Dunstan commanded.

We now advanced into the fortification proper. There was a small rise until we came to the top of the hill, which was completely flat. Surrounding the whole area was the round houses, built (well it looked from the outside) similar to the ones in Jane's brother's village.

In almost the centre was a much larger building, but looked like one of the houses had been cut in two and then stretched. Like a cylinder cut in half with convex ends.

Inside this fortification were animal pens close to the wall itself, which were whole trunks of trees sunk into the ground. I noticed on entry that they were thick, two trees wide with a space between them which appeared to be packed with earth. This left about a 3 feet walkway all around the top of the wall. Even a modern-day artillery shell would have difficulty penetrating such a structure.

We entered on the long side of this building. The first thing that hit you was the human heads that were hanging around the walls.

I whispered to Marjorie. "Are they head-hunters?"

Marjory whispered back to me. "The Celts always take the head of a brave enemy, some you may see wearing heads hanging on their belts. Don't mention the heads as they are proud to display them."

God! I thought. Here was me thinking that it was only savages from South America and the East Indies who hunted heads.

Surrounding the hall were logs that showed well-worn signs that they were used as seats.

"This is the council house of our 'Clann' (using the Gaelic pronunciation) our Clann comprises of seven other forts. This is the head of the Clann's council house. Please be seated," Eastorhyld said to us.

She pointed to the logs nearest the end. We made our way over to them and sat down. I just couldn't keep my eyes off the heads hanging there - disgusting custom.