Chapter 9: The mission

With Eastorhyld leading, since she was the one who knew the way, followed my 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, "This is a Druid highway, these crisscross 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 really 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 each other.

At long last we decided to call it a day beside a nice 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 all cooked out own meals. Before leaving we had each chosen what rations we were to take with us. So each his or her own! 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 each other. 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 that the Druids had these trails throughout England. Druids were just not priests but Druids 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 free."

"If she is a captive in his fort then he will do so, the word of a Druid is law, and must be obeyed."

She went on to tell us that the Celts were a very war like people and fought amongst 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 all crawled into our sleeping bags.

This was the first time that Jane and I had been just the two of us for a long time and I could see that she wasn't going to lose a minute of it. When we first got into the sleeping bag we got into the spoon position, but she just raised herself up and somehow lay on top of me. She or should I say we started to get into a real necking session our tongues were competing in a duel one minute, to sucking lips the next. My hands were on a trip of discovery all over her body.

Junior was like a bar or iron and Jane was rubbing herself silly on him, I could feel her pubic hair the whole length of Junior. To this day I don't know how we managed it, but she put her hand down and Junior slipped into her. It wasn't the deep penetration that she usually wants, but she started moving up and down. Many times I thought that Junior was going to pop out due to the shallow penetration, but he kept in there and seemed to be fulfilling his task as far as Jane wanted.

We really seemed to be going on for ages, just as I was beginning to feel like blasting away, she stopped. My reaction stopped and then she started again. This went on and on. I could feel her hard clitoris rubbing on the top of Junior's top. It really felt like a small hard pencil. When Jane climaxes she usually lets out a deep sigh and collapses for a few minutes. This time no outward signs at all. I couldn't hold back though any more and I just exploded into her.

After I had dropped my load she whispered in my ear, "I liked that, did you Chally."

"Of course I did sweetheart, you are so lovely." I whispered in her ear.

She only lay on my chest for a short time. She done a side shuffle slide and soon we were lying in the spoon position again. She wasn't going to miss out on Junior though she reached down and placed him between her legs and pulled him up close to her sex and then lowered her leg and locked him into place. She ground her bottom into my crotch; I had my right arm over her body clutching her left breast in my hand and in this position we dropped off to sleep.

I woke up at my usual time; it was quite 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 really 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.

I called to her, "Very nice indeed"

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

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

We all got up, performed our ablutions, and had a cup of coffee with an oatmeal biscuit for breakfast. We then departed 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 Britain?"

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

"So you really 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 on for another two days. During the fourth 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 definitely 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 proceeded 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 due to the fact that Marjorie and I had slowed down.

"This was the typical fortification that the Celts had, that we have discovered in England. We had only guessed as to 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."

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

We waited about five minutes, then 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 and then done 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. Their eyes were riveted to my rifle.

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

We now proceeded 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) like the ones in Jane's brother's village.

In almost the centre was a much larger structure but looked like one of the houses had been cut in two and then stretched. Like a cylinder cut in half and concave 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 quite thick, two trees wide with a space between them which appeared to be packed with earth. This left about a three 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 was logs that showed well worn signs that they were used as seats.

Eastorhyld said to us, "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."

She indicated the logs nearest the end. We made our way over to them to sit down. I just could not keep my eyes off the heads hanging there - disgusting custom.

Dunstan then asked his daughter, "Did you bring the sacred ornaments that had been stolen?"

Eastorhyld replied, "Yes they are here, but no I do not have them."

This seemed to confuse Dunstan completely. "How can they be here? If you did not bring them?"

"They are held in Chally's care. He has a command from Lord Breoca that has to be fulfilled before the Sacred Ornaments are handed over; I was present before Lord Breoca's death when he made the command." She replied to her father's question.

"What is this command, it will be obeyed, and I can have the Clann's Sacred Ornaments." Dunstan quickly replied.

I stood up, "Your raiding parties have raided my wives land, killed their men folk, captured and taken as hostage many women and young girls. The Druid instructed me to tell you that they are to be freed and all raiding of their lands have to stop. If this is not carried out I was not to return the Sacred Ornaments to you until you so agree."

Some of the points had to be filled in by Eastorhyld, as Dunstan couldn't understand all my words. He definitely got the message though.

He replied to my request by saying, "You are quite welcome to inspect our fort, but you will find no-one from your wives land in the east here. Runners will be sent to the other forts of our Clann, if they hold hostages I will instruct them to bring all of them here."

"We will await the return of the runners."

"May I see the Sacred Ornaments?"

"I can see no harm in showing them to you so that you know that I do not lie."

I produced the packages from my pack, and laid them on the seat so that he could inspect them. He quickly dashed forward and grabbed the largest. "Now that I have it how will you get it back?"

I drew the 9mm and put a round into the log where he had been sitting and another at his feet. "The next round will be between your eyes, and you will be dead before you hit the ground."

Eastorhyld leapt forward and pleaded with her father, "How could you dishonour our Clann so, these people nursed Lord Breoca and took me into their home, fed and protected me. The carried out the request of our Lord to escort me home, and you do this."

I don't know if it was the result of the firearm and the damage he saw to his previous seat or his daughter's words. He came to me, handed back the Sacred Ornament," Forgive me for my actions, I will try and help you with the Druids request".

With that he withdrew from the chamber followed by the young man.

I asked Eastorhyld, "Who is the young man, is he your brother?"

"No he is not my brother. His name is Wilferth my betrothed."

That accounted for the passionate kiss at the entrance.

"Come we have a guest lodge that you may stay in whilst you await the runners." She said and moved to the doorway.

We followed a short way behind. Now I was more cautious than ever, and carried my rifle across my chest with the safety catch off. I also quickly changed magazines on the pistol.

We were led to a smaller version of the round houses about as far from the entrance as you could get, and was shown inside.

"Please forgive my father's action. I will arrange for food and water to be brought to you." Eastorhyld said as she departed.

"What do you think of the Celts now, Marjorie?"

"Dreadful dirty people from what I have seen. Somehow I glamorized them in my thoughts, but having come in contact with them I have changed my opinion."

I was determined that I wasn't going to sit in this hut and wait whilst they could cook a plot to get the ornaments. I said to the three women, "Come let's take a good look at this camp, but don't leave any of your packs here, take them with you."

We left the guest lodge as they called it and went to look at the hill fort.

"Marjorie, have you a pen and paper on you, if you have take note of the fort and its layout, it may come in handy later."

I needn't have bothered mentioning it, I turned I saw that Marjorie had a shorthand notebook and was writing furiously in it.

Jane grabbed my arm and kept very close to my side, as we went to inspect the fort. The pens held sheep, goats, pigs and a small variety of cow. The smell from them was overpowering. The people walking nearby seemed to be immune from the smell. There were women performing menial tasks, who were obviously slaves by the way they were treated by the other women. I could see no fair-haired women amongst them.

I said to Jane and Hild, "If you see anyone you recognize please tell me."