Chapter 11

Two days later, Arthur and I left Fiona to look after herself, but warned her not to stray from the site. Only to go to the stream for water and bathe at dusk and not to burn wet wood.

We travelled in a south-easterly direction, keeping close to the tree line or travelling through the woods, keeping as low a profile as we could. In about three hours travelling, we spotted a small village with the same type of houses, but with a low stockade, which was more to keep stock in than to repel any invading enemy. It consisted of six round houses and some stock pens, each holding different domestic animals, one for pigs, another for goats, one for sheep and the fourth contained three small cattle of a breed I hadn't seen. They were smaller than modern Aberdeen Angus but brown and white. Also tied up to a post in the middle of the village was a naked male figure.

Instead of approaching I used the sight of my rifle to see who the person was and it was our old friend the sergeant. I wonder if he was going to believe me now. Arthur and I stepped out into the open and approached the village. As we did so five men with short stabbing spears lined up and were in a threatening posture. One I saw had on the sergeant's tunic, but open all the way down. Outside the house they were standing in front of, was a post with a human head with the flesh almost completely off.

I raised my right-hand, keeping the rifle cradled in the crook of my left arm ready to use if needed, "We come in peace; we are only looking for people of our own kind."

Three of the men went down on one knee, while the other three just starred at me. Then the boldest thrust his spear into the ground and walked to meet me. We clasped each others elbow and greeted each other. "Master you are welcome in our village, but why are you dressed as an outsider."

"I am not a Druid, I was taught the language of the Druids by a famous Druid called Breoca. Have any Druids been this way as I wish to talk to them?"

"Only seven risings Burgraed was here teaching and telling us of the news of our new queen Gwendolen."

"Who is the man tied up; I think he is one of the people I seek."

"He was caught trying to steal food, but he is either a mad man or a fool, for he talks in a strange way. Since you have been taught by the Druids, you can pass judgement on his punishment. Come sit with us while we talk."

We walked right past the sergeant who was following my every move and from his expression was completely lost to his predicament.

I discovered that after the death of her husband the King Logrinus, who was killed by an arrow in the forehead, Queen Gwendolen had the kings mistress Estrildis and her daughter Habren (Hafren), which the river was named after, drowned. There was some controversy about which river it was, the Thames or the Hafren (Severn) in which they were drowned. But why name a river after someone unless there was some significance, for they were captives from Germany.

Now I knew we were well back in time for at the time of Gwendolen, Rome hadn't even been founded. However she only ruled for 12 years.

This fact didn't help me find the people I was looking for, just the population were still semi savage and wouldn't hesitate to kill strangers who they thought would threaten them.

"I am looking for a man called Denulf, who has taken this man's daughter without his consent," I said pointing to Arthur. I also knew that it was a serious crime to take a young woman without paying a dowry and in this way I may get a quicker answer."

"He lives a short distance from here, tomorrow I will take you to him. Firstly, what about the stranger who tried to steal from us?"

"Make him work for you for a period of two moons, I will then return and take him back with me. I want all his clothes returned to him but not until he has finished his sentence and when I come back."

"That is a sound judgement and will teach him that we have to work hard to obtain the food we eat. He will more than earn his keep; I will make sure of that. So in two moons we will be waiting for you."

"I will go and tell him what has been decided, as he doesn't understand your tongue. That is something else you must try to teach him."

I went out and made for the sergeant, followed now the whole village. "Sergeant I've just saved your life, see that head on the stake outside that house that was nearly you. For trying to steal food from these people you are sentenced to work for them for two months. At the end of that time you will have all your clothes returned. I will come and collect you, also try to learn the tongue or as what you would call it that garbage. You will find that these people will stand by you, but don't try to get funny with them or they won't hesitate to kill you. Oh by the way they have another queen on the throne, her name is Gwendolen, so when you get back you can check her out."

"Who sentenced me to this work?"

"I did, you will be surprised how much influence I have here, far more than you would ever have in your own time. If I say the word you will never return, remember that and do as they say."

"I need something to wear, I can't go around naked."

"I'll get you something, but before you wear it, get to a stream and give it a really good wash. Wash every day, for lice are bad. Make yourself a shelter, for their houses are moving with lice. You will be safer here, as I don't want you getting under my feet."

"Well thanks, maybe I should have listened to you in the first place. I just couldn't believe what you said."

I spoke to Eawa who was the headman of the village and asked for something for the Sergeant to wear. He spoke to one of the women who returned with a coarse linen dress which they all wore and a cord for a belt and handed them to me.

"Sergeant, here are your clothes for the next two months, remember what I have told you and stay close to the village." I cut his bonds and handed him his dress. A woman of about thirty took him by the hand and led him to one of the houses. What arrangements had been made I had no idea; it was all in his hands now.

The next day we travelled due east and went to the house of Denulf with Eawa. Arthur saw Rosie his daughter right away but stopped and stared, for it was obvious that she was pregnant. Rosie on the other hand rushed to her father. "Oh Daddy, where have you been, I thought I would never see you again," she had tears flowing down her cheeks as they hugged.

With Eawa I approached Denulf. "Why did you take this man's daughter without his consent? You made no effort to find him and pay him a dowry for his daughter. What have you to say?"

He too thought I was a Druid, by my manner of speech. Knowing how the Druids were the administrators of the law, as well as teachers, healers and have direct access to the king of the realm, he thought his number was really up. "Master I thought she was an orphan, I have given her sanctuary in my home, I never molested her until her bleeding started. It was then I took her for one of my wives, as you can see she is carrying my child, which is due in four moons."

"The father doesn't want to give his daughter as a bride and wants to take her home. Since she is pregnant then it will be she who decides if she wants to remain with you or return with her father. Since no dowry has been paid there is no other choice."

"Rosie," I called and she came up to me followed by her father. I carried on talking in Gaelic forgetting she also understood English. "Do you want to stay here with Denulf or return with your father?"

"I want to return with my father, I want to see my mother," she replied in broken Gaelic, so both Eawa and Denulf understood but Arthur was in the dark.

"Rosie is returning with us, so your search is over Arthur," I said to him in English.

Arthur hugged his little daughter, but Denulf was downhearted. "Dunulf I will try to get a new wife for you maybe a little older, if you are willing to take her in."

"I would appreciate that for now I have one less pair of hands to help raise the crops and tend the livestock."

We left Eawa and headed in a north-westerly direction keeping to the tree line as before. While walking I asked Rosie "Have you heard of any other people who spoke English in the area."

"Yes in the market town a days walk from my home there are three who run a stall, two women and a man, who acts like a woman. Everyone shuns them except for trading with them."

Now I knew where I had to go next, but first I had to get these two back to our base. There was no hurry for if they were traders in the town they would be easy to find. This trip was going to be the easiest of them all I thought.

Fiona was happy to see us when we returned, even though we had only been gone for two days she was so glad that we had returned.

The first thing we started when we returned was to build a shelter or hut big enough to hold us as the weather wasn't the best and there was a continual drizzle. This time I had brought axes, metal wedges and two sledge-hammers so we set about cutting down suitable trees and dragging them to make a platform to lift us of the ground. We used four live trees and slotted beams into them to take the thinner saplings we used for the floor, the same way for the roof, but only six feet clearance. The sides were again saplings and using a tarpaulin for the front which rolled up when we had nice weather and to let the air in. It was only nine by seven feet but large enough for us. Also it blended well into the surrounds.

A clay oven was made and Rosie knew how to use that, for this was the same design as she was used to. Now all we had to do was wait for the shimmering. I wasn't going to see the three at the market town just now for then they would have been a drain on our resources.

During this time Fiona and I had become more than friendly, and now we slept together in a combined sleeping-bag. I am sure her boyfriend was missing what she was willingly giving me, for she was a real hot young woman. Sex to her was like air to breathe, she needed it all the time. The first time she approached me was a week after we got back and we had our shelter built and the rain was falling steady.

"I believe we can make these two sleeping-bags into one, can we do it I don't like sleeping alone with the weather so bad."

Now I wasn't going to turn down a desirable young eighteen year old woman. There was still red blood running through my veins and I had seen and felt every part of her body but not the way I will handle it once we are in the sleeping-bag.

Fiona came into my arms as soon as we were in the sleeping-bag and she slipped on to my body and guided my ready hard penis into her eager moist love-nest. As I felt myself slipping into her tight vagina she let out a long sigh.

"God you are a nice big man Chally, or is it I've been so long without sex that I have forgotten how a man feels inside me. I doubt it though, that is something I will never forget. You are a well-built man, God you feel great."

So that was how it started and her movements weren't as you would think all rushed, but she liked it slow and easy as I slipped in and out of that lovely well lubricated, grasping warm body. Precautions were thrown to the wind, as animal lust took hold, as we both enjoyed the feel of each others bodies pressed close together.

I couldn't care less what Arthur thought, we never hid it from him and he just accepted it.

After a month I went to visit Eawa and found the Druid Burgraed there. The Druid and I spent hours talking to each other and even he was surprised that I wasn't a member of the brotherhood. What he did give me was a Druid robe, which he said could come in handy, as no-one would ever suspect that I wasn't a Druid. He also told me of an old man who had arrived from my time, who lived many days journey from here. The old man was classified as a wise man that members of the community respected and visited for advice. He suggested I go and meet him.

I had intended to be absent for just a few days but now I had been away a week. As I sat talking to David D'castro an old man of 75, who had arrived here 40 years ago and had been a lawyer in our time.