by J W Murison
‘The mark of queen ship suits you daughter.’
‘Do you think papa will be mad when he sees it, I moulted and it appeared, I didn't know I could grow them.’
‘Neither did I, but you are a Queen, so I suppose they are appropriate.’
Melina sighed, ‘yes but for how much longer, Gareth is dismantling this nation at an alarming rate, he has his heart fixed on a stone cottage somewhere with a forge.’
‘Would you follow him?’
Melina smiled, ‘he is my heart mother, a stone cottage may be a large step down from a palace but it’s still a step up from a stable.’
‘Or a cage, he is a remarkable man. Your father is also concerned that he is throwing it all away.’
‘He still hasn’t been released from his commitment to the Highland people mother. As long as they feel he is still serving their best interest then he still has the support of his people. There are members of the council here to keep an eye on him. He is still very much the war chieftain of the Highland Nation. Secretly he longs for the mountains of his birth, he doesn’t tell anyone but every now and then a thought leaks out.’
‘What of the two remaining Eagle breeding centres?’
‘He has given them another month to cease operations in a lawful manner.’
‘Have they replied?’
‘Yes but their reply isn’t the sort of thing discussed by royal ladies mama.’
‘Not good then.’
‘No and Gareth's spy’s tell him that they are both gathering a small army to protect their investment, along with every wizard they can find.’
‘The Highlanders can deal with them Melina.’
‘Maybe mama but I feel a reluctance in Gareth to commit so many men or to ask for more. The spells cast at the place you were kept made those affected fight like lions, he would sustain far more casualties than in a normal fight and I don’t think he feels that the Highland nation should bear that burden, they have bled enough.’
‘But no one else could possibly do the task Melina, if your fathers forces tried they would come under the spells almost immediately.’
‘I know mama; I believe he has sent for the full Highland council to talk to father. There may be a price.’
Her mother sighed, ‘well I hope it’s in soil.’
It was evening before Gareth caught up with Stan and Malcolm. He embraced Stan warmly and shook Malcolm’s hand.
‘You two are a sight for sore eyes.’
Stan laughed, ‘man what a place, I got your message, you need an axe made I hear.’
‘Aye for a good friend, a promise kept.’
‘Gareth you can forge an axe as well as I can.’
‘It would seem I can’t, or not as well as Stan Ogilvie, this friend wished an axe made by your hand and I promised.’
‘Who is it for?’
‘The Beast.’
Stan sucked air in through his teeth, ‘wow, now that’s going to be some axe.’
‘Aye, good luck, the only question is payment.’
‘Ah ha!’ Malcolm interrupted, ‘now that could be quite expensive.’ Gareth raised an eyebrow at Stan who tried to hide a smile. Malcolm cleared his throat to regain his attention. ‘Aye, I hear the soil here is very fertile,’ he flushed, ‘how about, uh, about five tons of ready fertilized soil.’
‘How about twenty, or fifty.’
Malcolm came off the couch he had been languishing on slowly, he now radiated menace, ‘we may be related now, but do not mock me.’
Grauns roar of laughter drew their attention as he strode silently into the room, ‘don’t be a dick Malcolm, the man rules a Kingdom the size of which defies belief. You could have asked for a thousand tons and got it.’
Malcolm’s face drained of colour with realisation, ‘Oh, right, sorry Gareth I thought you were taking the piss.’
Gareth burst out laughing as Graun threw his broad arm round Malcolm’s shoulder, ‘how did you get away from your house building.’
‘We ran,’ they laughed together.
‘It’s good to see you brother.’
Malcolm snorted, ‘you've only been gone a week.’
‘I only arrived back today. I visited Ronald Donald for a week.’
Malcolm barked a laugh, ‘you mean you were pist for a week then.’
‘Aye more or less.’
Gareth shook his head, ‘any particular fertilizer Malcolm.’
‘Now you are taking the piss Gareth, although I heard that Eagle shit is pretty good.’
‘At least we are good for something,’ the Eagle King announced his presence with a smile and the men laughed.
‘No offence meant,’ Malcolm grinned.
‘None taken, after all we are all family are we not, I believe we use it at home for that very purpose. I still find it hard to believe though that of all the things men find desirable; there's nothing that makes a Highlander happier than a barrow full of good soil and shit mixed together. I never realised my Kingdom was so wealthy.’
The men rocked with laughter, ‘is there something you require father.’
‘Actually I was just looking for some decent company.’
Stan got a wicked gleam in his eye, ‘but instead you found Malcolm Grant.’
Malcolm scowled fiercely, ‘I will kick your arse boy.’ Stan laughed louder than the rest.
‘I have commissioned Stan to make an axe for The Beast father I was just going to show him to the royal forge.’
‘May I tag along; I could do with the company of men with more simple needs.’
‘They don’t come any simpler than Malcolm,’ Stan grinned.
‘Was that an insult boy, really!’
Laughing Stan grabbed his tools, ‘lead on Gareth.’
‘Hey I was talking to you,’ Malcolm growled at Stan’s back. It just made them laugh all the harder.
The King offered his hand to Malcolm, ‘it’s a pleasure to finally meet the legend behind the songs.’
Malcolm was immediately distracted, ‘what songs?’
‘The legend of Malcolm Grant and Stan Ogilvie; the axe men of the Highlands. Enemy’s forged into friendship on the anvil of war, a song one of your own bards composed but loved by all.’
‘Did you hear that Stan, they sing songs of us?’
‘Oh aye, I’ll bet I'm the handsome one.’
Malcolm raised an eyebrow at the King who just smiled. Malcolm growled, ‘maybe I don’t want to bloody hear it then.’
They laughed all the way to the royal forge. Stan whistled when he saw it, ‘oh Gareth man, is this the daddy of all forges or what.’
‘Like it?’
‘I’ll have two please.’
Gareth grinned, ‘my own design.’
Stan threw his bag in the corner and went around touching everything, ‘can I use some of your tools?’
‘Feel free brother.’
‘When can I start?’
‘Tomorrow if you want, I will have the servants light the fire at dawn.’
Malcolm coughed and Stan scowled, ‘aye well maybe in a few days time, my father-in-law here wants a few days rest after our long journey.’
Malcolm grinned, ‘aye time to get a hangover then sweat it out. Is there such a thing as a decent tavern around here?’
The King seemed surprised, ‘a tavern, you’re living in a palace, you can have the best of everything here?’
‘He hasn’t had a decent fight since the war,’ Stan explained.
Malcolm began to windmill his arms flexing his massive shoulders, ‘aye a good drink, a good brawl and a nice fur coat to slip on afterwards, preferably something young.’
‘A fur coat?’ the words popped into Gareth's mind as he was laughing. He explained to the King in the same manner. The King began to laugh so hard it hurt.
CHAPTER 4
Alan and The Beast lay under a cloak with a spyglass watching the scene below. The Beast was sketching the layout of the Eagle breeding centre below; he was surprisingly
good at it. Behind them somewhere their wives were languishing naked in the sun, sending dirty thoughts to their husbands trying to distract them.
The Beast put down his piece of charcoal with a sigh. He rubbed his nose and ended up with a black smear down the side of it, ‘next time I'm sending that pair home.’
‘I'm lying here with a boner,’ Alan confessed, ‘I canna concentrate.’
‘You canna concentrate, look at this,’ The Beast pushed the pad he had been drawing on across. On it was a half-drawn picture of his naked wife.
Alan laughed, ‘that isna half bad man.’
‘Aye well dinna look at it.’
Alan sighed, ‘well there doesn't seem to be anything happening down there.’
‘Aye that's true,’ The Beast agreed. Of one mind they slipped quietly back from the ridge and quickly found their wives. They dragged them to separate places. An hour later their wives finally sated they rejoined each other back at the ridge.
A large convoy began to leave the compound. Alan went back to counting and The Beast went back to drawing. Alan finished counting the wagons, ‘that's another hundred wagons Beast. That's almost three hundred this week all of them covered. I'm sure that's cages they are carrying.’
The Beast hesitated, ‘do you think they are just busy or are they moving the Eagles?’
Alan put the spy glass down, ‘I don’t know Beast, they could be moving or it could be some kind of trap.’
‘Why do you think it’s a trap Alan?’
Alan shrugged, ‘something just not right about all this and I just can’t put my finger on it.’
‘We need Billy or Scout.’
Alan frowned, ‘what do we need them for?’
The Beast leaned close, ‘shove yer pride back in your sporran boy. This is no time to play games of pride. You get it wrong or fuck it up and it costs men their lives. Would you like to feel responsible for the rest of your days?’
Alan shifted uncomfortably, ‘no not really.’
‘We get a hold of Billy and find out what he thinks.’
Just as it was getting dark they heard the quiet snicker of a horse. The two men moved silently until a voice came from the darkness, ‘don’t you pair of silly fuckers ever try and sneak up on me.’
They relaxed and moved to greet the man and horse. Beast greeted the horse first, ‘Lady, you’re looking well.’
Alan held out his hand to Scout as he jumped down, ‘nice to see you again Scout.’
Scout shook it, ‘so this is where you pair have been hiding the past few weeks. I've got some fresh rations for you.’ He shook hands with The Beast, ‘now what’s up.’
The Beast looked to Alan who just shrugged, ‘we’re not really sure Scout, there’s something just not right here.’
‘Ok, well it’s too late to do anything about it now, but explain to me what you have seen over something to eat, I'm bloody starving.’
They sat down a short while later to eat and Alan tried to explain his misgivings, ‘I'm not really sure what it’s all about Scout, every day there are convoys of wagons coming in, and late in the afternoon a big convoy of wagons leave, it’s always a hundred.’
‘In or out.’
‘Well both. A hundred arrive during the day and a hundred leave all at once.’
‘Is it the same wagons Alan?’
‘I don’t know Scout, they don’t look like the same wagons, they leave with covered cages on the back of them but none arrive with cages.’
‘Ok what about the routine of the place.’
‘It’s not like the other breeding centre we were at, there are no Eagles flying about, no town like there was at the last place. It looks the same, it’s huge, but that's about it.’
Scout frowned, ‘that can’t be right, no men coming and going just a hundred wagons a day, no fodder.’
‘Some of the wagons seem to be carrying food, or crates, but your right Scout no straw or anything like that and we've been here a week.’
For the next few days Scout watched with them and to Alan’s relief their wives behaved. In the end Scout could only come to one conclusion, there was no Eagles below, it was some kind of trap; the only question was what kind of trap. He needed to get back to Gareth.
He spoke to the two men before he left, ‘good call Alan, there is definitely something strange going on down there.’
‘What?’
‘I have no idea, I was going to go see Gareth. I have a better idea, let’s all go together.’
They arrived back at the city together and barely had time for a bath before they were summoned to see Gareth. He shook hands with all three and brought them over to a map. Around the map lay The Beasts sketches. He pointed to them, ‘these are remarkable Beast, you have an eye for detail and a rare talent.’
The Beast shrugged, ‘I just like drawing stuff.’
‘Well I have to agree with your assessment, it is a trap and I know what kind.’ He pulled one of The Beasts Sketches, ‘I will presume you saw this man through the spy glass.’
‘Aye that's right; he’s appeared a few times in the past few weeks.’
I asked some of the palace wizards, ‘it seems this man is a four hundred, a wizard about four hundred years old; very powerful and as perverted as they come. What we have here is a magic trap, or so it has been explained to me. I'm going to send a hundred men back with you to catch this bastard and kill him along with any wizards with him. I'm going to be up to my eyeballs in it so Graun’s going to lead the mission.’
The men grinned, ‘when did he get back?’ Alan asked.
‘Just the other day there, Stan and Malcolm are here to, I think they want to go along.’
The Beast coughed politely and Gareth couldn’t help grinning, ‘a promise kept Beast. I'm sorry I couldn’t get him here quicker; he was going to start on it tomorrow but wants to do this first.’
‘I’d better look after him then.’
‘Ok Graun has all the details, he’s at the barracks if you catch up with him there he will explain everything.’
They left Gareth and found Graun with a hundred men, they were just assembling. He shook hands with them and bade them join the group for a briefing.
‘Everyone here and listening, ok tomorrow we are going to this breeding centre, we weren’t going to hit it for a while however we believe it is some kind of decoy. There will be no non-Highlanders in the assault party. We believe it is what is called a magic trap. The men who assault it are supposed to be overcome with magic and it is supposed to paralyse them or kill them. They have a routine of driving in a hundred wagons during the day at different times but leaving as one before nightfall. Where they go at night we don’t know but it can’t be that far. We are not sure whether we are supposed to attack the wagons or the breeding centre, so we’re going to take the breeding centre first and check it out. Our main advantage is that they don’t seem to realise yet that we Highlanders aren’t affected by their magic, but that doesn't mean we go in there like a bunch of children hooking school.’ He gave them a stern look.
‘These people are out to kill anyone who goes into that place; there could be many different types of traps and I firmly believe there will be. Billy will go in first with his Scouts as soon as the last wagon disappears and before it gets dark. Billy, would you like to say something.’
Billy came forward, ‘ok listen carefully, my boys and I will go in first apart from Scout, he’s going to stay on the cliff top with the Eagles and keep a look out, none of them will approach the breeding centre. The rest of you will follow us in and we will go in at a walk. Keep your eyes on the ground, touch nothing brush against nothing. Each of you get a long stick and probe the ground in front of you,’ he demonstrated with a stick he had in his hands. They got the idea.
The following day they arrived at midday and Graun and Billy joined Alan and The Beast at their watching post.
‘Bloody quiet,’ Graun commented to non one in particular, ‘no sign of sentry’s, it’
s all wrong. A good call you two. Eventually the wagons began to pull out and the Highlanders made their move. They weren’t out of sight when they reached the edge of the compound; the place itself obscured the Highlander’s movements.
Billy lifted a tarpaulin and looked underneath. It was an empty space that seemed to run right round the place. He knew it was a magical circle that produced nightmare images to those susceptible. He prodded with his stick and took a step inside. With caution he crossed the hall of horrors and through the canvas at the other side. He could smell the place; there were definitely Eagles here once. Now the buildings looked forlorn and abandoned. He stepped into the inner compound and waved his men in. They followed his footprints and arrived swiftly.
Graun was first, ‘spread out left and right.’
‘This place is definitely abandoned, has been for a while by the looks of it,’ Billy decided.
‘Would the place still stink after its been abandoned for a while?’
Malcolm over heard him, ‘be bloody good fertilizer if it’s had a chance to rot.’ The two men looked at him as if he was stupid but Malcolm just grinned and moved on. They spread out and moved slowly forward probing the ground. On the right a young man wearing the McLennan tartan suddenly stuck his stick in the air. Billy spotted the movement and the young man waved him over; everyone else stopped to watch. Billy noticed the black ring on the young man’s hand; another one who had married an Eagle woman.
He frowned, ‘sorry I don’t remember your name lad.’
‘Steven, look at this,’ he tapped a piece of soil and it bounced.
‘Sand brushed over a piece of wood, well spotted; now get back a short way and follow your own footsteps.’ Billy lay down and smoothed away the soil from the board. Then with a little trepidation he carefully lifted the board. There was a large nail through it pointing downwards, curious he looked into the hole and found a clay vessel lying on its side. After a few minutes clearing away the soil round it he decided it was safe to lift. Getting up on his knees he inspected it.
He took it over to Graun, ‘what do you think?’
‘I have no idea.’ He called Alan over and handed him the pot, ‘can you do that thing where your wife can see through your eyes like Gareth can?’