The Angry Mermaid 14 - - - Y Morforwyn Diclon 14

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After the land battle Drustina slowly starts to come to terms with her intersexed bilateral hermaphrodism. Her femininity brings with it wisdom and compassion but she stil has battles to fight.


The Angry Mermaid 14.

Or.

Y Morforwyn Dicllon 14

Mabina. The youngest daughter and Twin to
Drustan Her twin brother.
Grandpa Erin the twins grandfather.
Giana The twins grandmother
Caderyn The twins father.
Herenoie The twins wise and beautiful mother.
Morgaran The Twins oldest brother.
Aiofe The twins oldest sister. Famous for her beauty.
Tara The twins second oldest sister. Famous for her grace.
Feidlim Twins aunt (Caderyns’ beautiful sister.)
Mogantu Twins uncle (Married to Feidlim.) Chief of the Gangani tribe.
Brun. Twins 2nd cousin and the Acaman clans’ blacksmith.
Feorin. Twins second brother. Also training to be a blacksmith.
Rhun Feidlims’ son and Feorins’ favourite 1st Cousin. (Both red-heads.)
Arina Child of a Demetae fisherman, (rescued by Aiofe, Drustan and Mabina.)
Penderol Dumnonii Minor chief.
Udris Young Dumnonii warrior.
Dryslwyn High chief of the whole Celtic nation. Dwells in Brithony.
Bronlwyn Dryslwyn’s wife (and queen.)
Magab The moor who taught numbers.
Eric Saxon galley slave rescued from Corsair pirates.
Carl Another Saxon galley slave rescued by Drustan.
Torvel Celtic galley slave rescued from the same captured corsair ship
Arton. Turdetani Chieftain Holder of Gibral Rock.
Carinia Arton’s wife.
Isobel. Arton’s adopted daughter.
Appotel King of the Turdetani Tribe. (Southern Iberia.)
Bramana Queen. (Wife of Appotel)
Pilus King of the Capetani.
Shaleen Pilus’s queen and sister to Bramana.
Pedoro Lord Marshal of the Southern border region.
Lady Shulaar Lord Pedoro’s wife.
Taan. The scullery maid.
Isaar. Pedoro’s oldest son.
Ferdie Pedoro’s 2nd son
Sular Pedoro’s 3rd son
Gontala Pedoro’s youngest son.
Shenoa Pedoro’s only daughter.
Portega. Tyrant King to the west.
Portua. Portega’s grandson.

Drustan spent a few days in Toledo. Whether it was to escape the rigours and pressures of the developments at King Pilus’s court or whether it was his own need to have a break from the seemingly permanent pressures of war and combat; Drustan didn’t know and he didn’t care. What he did know was that his stomach had cramped again and the gripes left him abed for a day as he cursed the weep from ‘Blueface’s wound’. However the days of cramping where more than compensated by the sheer pleasure of watching weapons being forged. Then he enjoyed the immense satisfaction of having a very personal input into the forming of his own personal sword. This preoccupation served to garner a real break from the evanescent cramps and everything that seemed to be closing in on him.

Whilst watching the forging of his sword, Drustan was content to sleep on a rough palliace amongst the apprentices despite the metal masters knowing that the boy was a guest of King Pilus and entitled to the best hospitality they could offer. The apprentices had not failed to notice the maidenly forms on his chest nor his soft smooth flesh but his fearsome reputation served perfectly to keep them at bay. To fit him for his new sword the sword masters had fenced with him in the training yard and all had just cause to know his skill. There had been gasps of astonishment from the watchers at this strange guest of the king who pissed like a man and fought like the devil yet sported a handsome pair of maidenly tits. Fortunately, the forge-masters were more admiring of Drustan’s swordplay than any reputed witchery. To have such a splendid swords-man/woman find satisfaction in their weapons was to them the greatest compliment they could receive.

Furthermore, Drustan’s inoffensive feminine charm coupled with a real understanding of metals and alloying them together earned him their respect and affection. As metal forgers themselves they were fascinated to learn that he was directly related and indeed first cousin to the famed Paris Mountain miners and smelters. In the evenings when the forges were cool and the fires low, he would spend long hours discussing alloys and telling of the strange metals to be found in other lands. He shared his own experiences with strange metals except that he did not mention Mabina’s secret rod that always pointed close to the North Star, Freya’s jewel. As they chatted long into the second night a visitor arrived from the kings Pilus and Appotel. Drustan’s presence was urgently needed at the court to make plans for the return to Appotel’s kingdom.

After Drustan reluctantly agreed to return, the messenger joined the metal-masters around their table and he talked of Drustan’s arrival earlier that year.

“Why yes. You came to us by sea did you not lad.”

Drustan nodded, not even thinking of the event but one of the metal masters stared thoughtfully at the boy.

“Did you sail all the way lad?”

Drustan nodded unconcernedly so the metal master qualified his question.

“From the Brithonic Island I mean.”

Drustan laughed softly. “Why yes of course! Where else would I have sailed from? They are my home lands. I am Gangani.”

“And yet you did not stop to visit Portega’s kingdom which forms the coast for a large part of your journey.”

“We did not stop at any coast. After leaving Brithony, my sisters and I each knew that to stay close inshore would invite the curiosity of the Nubian and Berber pirates. We were warned that they raid those shores indeed they have raided as far as Brithony. We sailed non-stop from Brithony to Gibral.”

“Without being spotted; how?”

“By sailing off-shore well out of sight of land.”

“Then how do you steer? What are your marks?”

Drustan shrugged again. To him it was second nature but he had to explain.

“By the sun and the stars and with a rod of Thor’s iron.”

The old master metal smith frowned curiously.

“Thor’s iron; what’s that?”

“It’s a special iron stone, a lode-stone from the far, far north; where the snows lie forever. The Vikings claim it is charmed by the northern lights. The lights are so beautiful that the spirit in the metal always seeks to join them in the northern skies, to kiss with Freya’s crown.

The Vikings say the dark iron spirit was trying to trap the goddess Freya who rides the same northern skies. Fortunately Freya only wears gold and silver and these metals are not attracted by the spirit so Freya flies free. It’s said that the lights are reflections from Freya’s hair as it flies and swirls when she rides her ice horses galloping across the skies. The colours are as beautiful and varied as the sky arches made by sun and rain. The iron spirit tried to trap the beautiful reflections and keep them for itself but Odin and Thor caught it and condemned it always to live in the iron. From these northern lights Freya gave men but more importantly women, colour and the ability to appreciate beauty. Freya made the lights and colours free to all who have sight. The spirit is always trying to escape to steal those beautiful colours from Freya but it is locked in the lode-stone forever. Thor hammered the spirit into the iron and it can never escape but to die. For even if you can split a shard the spirit cannot escape. It remains still imprisoned in both shards always pointing to the north; always striving to steal Freya’s beauty.”

“It sounds like pagan rubbish to me.” Scoffed the old metal-master.

Drustan fell silent. He knew the spirit iron was true. Furthermore he had proof of it on his ship but it would not pay to antagonise the guild of metal smiths. He shrugged and kept his counsel.

“Maybe it’s only a Pagan myth then. The Vikings were always want to boast.” He replied to sooth anymore contention.

The following morning he had to reluctantly take his leave. King Pilus had ordered him to return to the council. There were issues that affected Drustan like a formal rite of passage and ennoblement for his deeds on the battle-field. Such rituals and ceremony bored Drustan but he had long learned the convention that dictated when an anointed king summoned a commoner, it behoved the commoner to obey. Then he remembered something. Mabina had a magic rod that had somehow captured one of the northern iron spirits. She had used it to remove the arrowhead. He said nothing but invited one of the metal-smith journey-men to accompany him back to Pilus’s court. Drustan knew the man had finished his tour at Toledo and it would be good thing if he saw Mabina’s magic rod. It might encourage him to journey to the far north and try and learn more of this magic northern lode-stone.

The journey to Pilus’s court took but a day and both Drustan’s sisters were overwhelmed with joy to see him. His inexplicable choice to forgo the celebrations had un-nerved his sisters. The truth was Drustan found little joy in celebrating war. He made his feelings clear to his sisters who promptly conveyed them to Bramana and Shaleen the sister queens who in turn conveyed them with their persuasive feminine wiles to their husbands. Pilus and Appotel therefore kept things brief. It suited Appotel’s purpose anyway for he needed to return to his southern kingdom to address the Berber pirate issues. After his ennoblement, Pilus approached Drustan about the fate of his valuable royal prisoner, Portega’s spoiled grandson.

“You are now a noble and entitled to hold the prince a prisoner. Ransom him even.”

“But King Pilus; what would I want with a prisoner. I have tasks to fulfil and that entails long journeys. A prisoner would only hamper my progress not to mention threaten my life. I would have to watch my back at all times. You keep him. What’s his name anyway, this spoiled indulgent brat? I never did find out.”

“Portega’s grandson is called Portua.” Pilus confirmed.

“That would follow. You might as well keep him.

“So you are happy to let him live then,” King Pilus confirmed. “For I do not kill my prisoners. If you trust him to me, he lives.”

“Live or die. He means little to me. I’m sick of the killing anyway.”

Drustan’s last remark brought a deafening silence around the council hall. A pin would have been heard dropping. Indeed Mabina did drop her bracelet which she had been twisting fretfully on her wrist and the noise turned everybody’s head. The silence un-nerved Drustan.

“What! What did I just do? What’s wrong now?”

“Ask your sister, your twin sister.” Queen Shaleen intervened as tears of relief filled Mabina’s eyes.

Drustan saw the tears and sprang to her side even drawing his new lethal sword as he moved.

“What’s wrong?! Why d’you cry? Who has harmed you? If anybody’s hurt you I’ll, -“

“Dammit brother nobody’s hurt me!” Mabina squealed.

She flung her arms around her twin brother’s neck and squeezed him to her. Drustan was bemused.

“Stoppit Sis. We’re adults now you told me yourself. We cannot do this anymore. Show more decorum.”

Mabina released him and collapsed into gales of laughter, part relief and part amusement as she addressed the assembled royal court.

“Did you hear that my lords and ladies? Did you hear that! Drustan my brother; Drustan Scar-arse no less, speaks of decorum and actually shows compassion. There is my brother’s true rite of passage my lieges. Never mind the ordeals or trials by combat!
My brother has learned to look beyond killing. My twin is grown mature! That is truly a rite of passage”
Drustan turned scarlet with embarrassment.

“Hist sister! This is no place to air family things. Do not shame what little is left of our family name.”

Mabina ignored her brother and declared to the whole council.

“Is our family name shamed my lieges?!

“Not in this court young lady,” King Pilus declared.

“Nor in mine!” Appotel added then went on. “Your name is honoured Drustan, but you know that for you have just been ennobled.”

Drustan slumped more with exhaustion than relief. He had been living on his wits for nearly four years since the death of his family. He would never have believed it but a tear almost forced its way to his eye. He got up wearily, made a brief excuse and made his way unthinkingly to the ladies quarters.

“Where’s he going now?” Pilus wondered.

“Bed I shouldn’t wonder,” Shaleen offered; he looked all in to me and those wounds he’s received in these past days are still to heal fully.

Mabina heeded Queen Shaleen’s words and followed her brother out of the council hall. She found Shaleen’s words to be right but she was still shocked to find her brother fast asleep in Queen Shaleen’s very own personal bed. Drustan still hadn’t learned all the delicacies of courtly life. If anybody else had had the sheer temerity to just walk into Queen Shaleen’s most private chamber and occupy her royal bed, Queen Shaleen would have had them summarily executed. However she had a soft spot for the crazy fool who had done so much to save her husband and his kingdom. As she followed Mabina to her royal quarters and found the girl wondering if to waken her brother she gently smiled to reassure Mabina and put her finger to her lips as Mabina almost greyed with fear.

“He’s done no harm girl. Your brother’s earned his sleep. Let him lie for now because you have later to get him to understand your feelings for Prince Portua.”

Mabina paled again.

“How did you know of that?”

“I’m a woman girl. Young girls like you cannot hide affairs of your heart from older women. We have walked your road do not forget.”

“What d’you think he’ll say; my brother that is?”

“It’s no longer for him to say. You heard him relinquish Prince Portua to my husband’s custody. I suspect your brother will be more concerned that you do not intend to accompany him with your older sister to Carthage.”

“There is nothing for me in Carthage and I can’t face more wanderings. I want a home. My brother is driven by a fire for revenge. That is neither my way nor Aiofe’s. I don’t think he will ever settle until he recover’s our beloved Lleyn.”

“Is that ever likely to be?” Shaleen asked.

“Who knows? If it only takes a sword, he well might.”

“Ah but it also takes statesmanship to win, hold and finally bind a country. Though I am forced to concur, he already has the
swordsmanship and he has yet to see his sixteenth summer. There’s years yet to learn statesmanship.”

“Provided his sword doesn’t fail him.” Mabina sighed wistfully.

“Yes indeed my girl. Come, let’s leave him. I will tell the guard to let no-one disturb him.”

Drustan slept for two nights and the day between. Queen Shaleen had the unusual pleasure and delight of occupying the king’s bed, that was of course her husband’s state bed. It was no sacrifice for the king’s mind had time to relax and their libidos were freed from the tensions of war and state. Queen Shaleen had further reason yet to like her battle-scarred guest for in the relaxed climate she was made with child. However her gratitude towards Drustan would never be expressed because he would be far away when her son was born.

When Drustan finally awoke preparations were afoot to sort out the consequences of the war that had fizzled out because of Drustan’s intervention. Also while he’d slept Mabina and Price Portua had further cemented their affections.

“But how shall we tell him?” Portua wondered fearfully.

Mabina shrugged for she had no idea how her brother would feel. She gave Portua a tight hug and he winced as she pressed against his thigh wound.

“Ouch. That hurts!”

Mabina frowned at him.

“Crickey darling. That is but a puncture. Think how my brother feels. He has a hide like a Map of all Iberia what with new wounds and old scars.”

“I’m not your brother. I was never cut out for fighting. My father and both my grandfathers despised me.”

“Well I love you. You’re funny and kind and thoughtful.”

Portua embraced Mabina and kissed her before speaking.

“Well, I suppose we’d better go and face him.”

“What! Can’t you do it alone?”

“You explain things better. I’d prefer to have you beside me.”

Mabina wagged her head, but Portua was right, Drustan could hardly hurt his own twin sister. They found him in King Pilus’s antechamber where Drustan had just learned that Captain Dronus was Prince Portua’s paternal grandfather.

“So that’s why you were so keen to get my sister Aiofe to promise to look after him!”

Captain Dronus nodded his head as he confessed.

“Yes Drustan. I don’t believe the boy is all bad. He thinks I hate him but I don’t. In fact I’ve hardly had anything to do with the boy’s upbringing what with him being heir to Portega’s throne. I actually quite like the boy.”

“But he was all set to kill Aiofe! His knife actually marked her throat. He was prepared to murder his prisoner and a woman to boot!”

“He was frightened Drustan. He was facing certain death from your proven bow. Ask your sister, she could feel him shaking even as he held her. And anyway, you killed those helpless soldiers on the mountain path.”

“Not quite, I put them out of their misery, they were dying anyway and they were soldiers after all; and we were outnumbered. The picket soldier and I had no idea who else was coming down the path. Anyway; this prince, - this Portua, he’s a coward.”

“That hurts me Drustan. The boy has never been near a battle before. He was a child forced into a man’s armour.”

“He’s older than me!”

“Yes but he never had a man like your grandfather to guide him. Your grandfather must have been a wonderful man. Prince Portua was a prisoner to his odious grandfather’s ambition.”

Drustan hesitated as he wondered about the old captain. ‘Had the old captain ever been to Lleyn?’ Drustan asked himself.

“Did you ever meet my grand-dad Erin?”

“No Drustan; I didn’t.”

“So how could you ever know what he was like?”

“By the marks he’s left behind him, by his grandchildren. You are a credit to him lad. So are your sisters.”

Drustan felt uncertain. Flattery was a very insidious tool and his grand-pa Erin had always warned him about it. There was a knock on the door and a nervous Prince Portua entered followed by Mabina. Drustan was about to get up and leave but Pilus restrained him.

“I think this is for you ears Drustan, as much as anybody else’s.”

Drustan paused half standing, half sitting with his hand on the table and he turned curiously to his twin. Mabina walked up to him with a boldness born of fifteen years of siblinghood.

“You’d better sit down brother. I’ve got some news for you.”

Drustan resumed sitting and looked his twin sister in the eye.

“Go on.” He sighed, expecting more admonishments.

“Well the first thing brother is that I probably won’t be accompanying you to Carthage.”

Drustan frowned but Mabina was quietly relieved to see that her brother did not seem to be angry or even upset.

“So, go on; why?” Drustan pressed.

“I’m settling down, here, in Iberia.”

Drustan’s brain ticked quietly as his eyes flicked from Mabina to Prince Portua. Slowly he reached the correct conclusion and his frown deepened.

“Is it him?”

Mabina nodded and stared at her brother almost daring him to object. Drustan stared thoughtfully at the floor as he tried to make sense. Then he looked up.

“Are you sure it’s him you want?”

“Yes.”

“But you know he’s a prince without a realm, he’s just been beaten in battle. His lands are forfeit.”

“Forfeit to whom?” Mabina pressed.

Drustan was slightly bemused. He had presumed that Kings Pilus and Appotel would divide Portega’s lands up between them. He indicated the two kings with a nod but Mabina anticipated this.

“It’s not that simple brother. It was actually you who defeated Portega.”

“Don’t be silly. That was just a combat. I agreed with Portega before we fought that there were to be no prizes of land and stuff. If I foreswore my bow, he would not claim title to lands. Thus I have no claim to his kingdom. Anyway, by all the gods of sea and sky, what would I want with land and a bloody kingdom?”

At these words Pilus and Appotel exchanged surprised glances before Pilus interrupted.

“Land brings wealth and security Drustan. It’s a rare fellow who would refuse a whole kingdom.”

“Yeah,” replied Drustan irreverently, “and it also brings problems and war. I’m not cut out to run a bloody kingdom. It’s my sisters who prefer books and figures. I just want to, - hold on a minute. Are you saying the land is mine!?”

“Well that’s the issue lad,” Appotel grinned, “that’s what this conference is all about. What to do with Portega’s lands and crown. You have a powerful claim lad, like it or not. Portega issued a clear challenge and you met it. It was a fair combat for thousands witnessed it. What is his becomes yours by the law of combat. When you forsook your bow you signed up to open combat with horse and sword. Portega’s kingdom is technically yours!”

Drustan’s jaw sagged as his eyes swept the antechamber. Just about all the men who mattered were present plus two important sister queens. He repeated his refusal.

“Honestly, I don’t want it! I’ve other tasks to do. There’s my sister Aiofe’s betrothal and I’m running late for that.
We’ll probably have to run the Corsairs and Berber pirates.”

The meeting fell silent. If Lord Drustan refused the gift what was to be done? Drustan sensed the mood change as kings wondered how to divide up the kingdom. He wanted to escape the oppressive atmosphere but at that moment his older sister entered the chamber. Drustan sagged with relief.

‘Here was someone who would find a solution. Aiofe had always been clever and skilful at arbitrating between her fighting brothers, maybe she could help him here.’

Drustan felt out of his depth so he stepped to Aiofe’s side as she took her seat beside the sister queens. He whispered in her ear.

“Help me sister. They want to burden me with Portega’s lands and kingdom.”

“By the Gods brother! Why don’t you take it?”

“I’m no king; I’m a boat builder, a sailor, a fighter.”

Aiofe studied her brother thoughtfully. The boy was scrupulously honest. To refuse a kingdom said a lot about her brother’s ambitions and goals in life. She looked him in the eye.

“What do you really seek brother? What higher purpose or ambition could persuade you to refuse a kingdom?”

Drustan fell silent. In truth, at fifteen, he had no idea what he wanted. He certainly did not want to be stuck in a big castle all day signing papers and meeting petitioners. And that was the impression he’d got from both Pilus and Appotel. He explained this to Aiofe.

“It’s all paperwork and constantly organising stuff. You and Mabina are far better than me. Look how she always did the figures on the boat.”

“Then let her run your kingdom. If she’s set on marrying Portua then it’s an ideal arrangement. You could take yourself off and indulge in a bit of hunting or something.”

“No, I just don’t want the responsibility. I’m a free spirit. Besides, if she’s running the bloody kingdom, she might as well bloody own it. Petitioners will always be running to me to overturn one or the other of her decisions. Falling out with Mabina would be a hiding to nothing.”

Even as he said it, the lightning struck in Drustan’s brain. Aiofe also arrived at the same thought at that identical moment.

As they read each other’s thoughts, they stared stupidly at each other then burst out laughing. It was King Pilus who brought them to order.

“This is serious meeting. Can we have some order please?”

After recovering their composure, Aiofe and Drustan turned respectfully to the two kings. Aiofe addressed the meeting.

“My lords, you all know that my brother has made it abundantly clear he wants no part of kingship.”

She paused for effect and to confirm that this was accepted by the meeting. There was no dissent so she continued.

“Yet you all wished that duty upon him; you all offered him Portega’s kingdom. My brother and I have much before us but our sister has found her heart here in Iberia. All the ladies in this castle learned some days ago that her heart is captured by Portua. They seem to be well suited and we ladies can see no harm in the match.

My brother rightly pointed out that Portua is a prince with no kingdom, a defeated pauper prince and he rightly points out that it would be wrong for his twin sister to be encumbered with poverty. Mabina, Drustan and I know all about poverty for our own family have been disenfranchised and made poor through losing what little land we owned. I leave my brother to offer a solution.”

There was an attentive buzz around the chamber as Drustan leant his arse against the rail that encircled the conference pit and faced the meeting.

“Might I suggest that if my sister is to marry this prince then she at least be made wealthy enough to sustain her position of ennoblement.”

Drustan did not wait for concurrence but simply ploughed straight into the detail.

“If the kingdom is in my gift then here is my proposal. Portega’s kingdom shall be deeded by treaty to my twin sister Mabina upon her marriage to Prince Portua. She shall hold all title to the realm and not concede her title of queen and sovereign to Sallic Law and primo geniture. She will remain as sovereign even though married to Portua. Portua will have the satisfaction of knowing that whilst he will not reign, at least his children will. The legitimate line of succession will thus continue without a blood-line break and law will be seen to prevail. I, as Drustan Scar-arse would see law prevail for we have all seen where tyranny and confusion of succession leads and I for one am tired of the bloodshed.

I know, from hard experience that there are always those who would seek to gain power so I am entrusting two peace-keepers with the task of maintaining order and protecting my sister from plot and treachery. These two men are to be Dronus and Pedoro, for I have trucked with them and they have proven to be loyal and honest, whilst not to me but to their lawful monarchs. For even though Portega was a tyrant he was the lawful king. Dronus will also have the additional pleasure of knowing his great-grandchild will be born as the legitimate heir to Portega’s throne

Portega’s only daughter, that is Portua’s mother will also sit in council now that her husband, Dronus’s son met death at the hands of Appotel’s army during the battle for the southern pass. It is good to have women in council for they bring many qualities of good governance. I think especially of my older sister Aiofe when I say this.

Thus will the kingdom be ruled. I know my sister Mabina, as anointed queen, will serve that blighted kingdom well and bring it back to prosperity. Finally to my twin sister Mabina, I can only say this.
Take your wisdom where your heart leads but do not let your heart rule your head. That is the burden of monarchy. So my dear sister it’s to be farewell between us. If I ever live to be of an age when I am tired of travel and adventure, I might one day come back to you.”

There was a buzz of surprise that settled into a murmur of thoughtful consensus around the meeting. Nobody raised any objections and Drustan felt his shoulders lighten with relief from the raising of burdens. He motioned to Aiofe and beckoned her from the room. Aiofe smiled her excuses to the chamber and followed Drustan out.

“I’m tired of all this statesmanship and kingliness, let’s be getting on with delivering you to Magab.”

The following morning, Drustan and Aiofe shared a tearful farewell with Mabina then joined Appotel’s return to his Southern kingdom. He and Aiofe rode in silence for already they were missing their sister Mabina. They arrived at the border town and were greeted by Isaar, Pedoro’s oldest son who had now been promoted to ‘Border Marshall’ now that his father was acting as elder
statesman and advisor to Mabina. Isaar begged them to stay a few days but pressing matters drove Appotel and his party quickly south were messages that a large fleet of Corsair pirate ships had been seen gathering off the Southern shores of the straights. It was a relieved King Appotel who arrived to find that Carl, Eric and the other freed sweepsmen from the Corsair galleys had not been idle. They had worked like Trojans co-operating with Appotel’s own ship-builders and there were ten ships of like design to Drustan’s beloved Mermaid sitting in the harbour either being fitted out or tested in sea trials. When he saw the new craft Drustan didn’t even follow King Appotel into the castle but he galloped straight down to the harbour. There he was overjoyed to meet with Eric and Carl and catch up on the news.

“It’s not good news lad,” Carl sighed, “they still outnumber us about three to one. They’ve been assembling ships from all corners of the Berber realms to build a big enough force.”

“And what of our forces?” Drustan pressed.

“Well we have ten of the new craft plus your own stout vessel and we have five of the older heavier ships. They’re strong and proven but they are slow and cumbersome compared with the Corsair ships though they are better armed. We’re going to have to work out some sort of tactics because these damn Nubians outnumber us at least two and maybe three to one.”

Drustan fully understood the danger. The Corsair ships were much faster than the old type Turdetani ships and they were well armed, but they had no hope in a race with the new boats. However, the new ships were small and light. What King Appotel needed was time to prepare and build more ships; or find an ally. As Drustan followed Carl and Eric around the meagre fleet he racked his brains for a solution. A chat with Aiofe seemed like a good idea for Dustan’s older sister had demonstrated on several occasions that she had a head for war and strategy.

He found Aiofe in Queen Bramana’s chambers while Appotel was catching up on affairs of state. As always he demonstrated a total lack of respect for the royal conventions and he simply ran unthinking up the stairs to Bramana’s private chambers whilst still dressed and armed from the day’s journey. It wasn’t until he was brusquely stopped and restrained by four guards outside Bramana’s chambers that he realised it did not do to boldly dash up to a queen’s chambers still armed to the teeth.

The commotion outside her door soon alerted Bramana and Aiofe to what had become a familiar scene namely Drustan being restrained by guards while he loudly protested his innocence and loyalty. Once again Aiofe found herself repeating the same old scolding.

“For the god’s sakes brother, all you have to do is send a lady in waiting to announce you. You simply cannot just barge into a lady’s boudoir especially if that lady is a queen. We’ve only just finished washing and changing from the dust and heat of the journey.”

“It’s you I wanted to see not her.”

Queen Bramana immediately corrected him.

“Her majesty Drustan! You refer to me as Her Majesty, not just ‘her’!”

“Oh. Uuhhm, sorry your majesty, I have to talk with my sister. I want advice.”

Bramana wagged her head but smiled for despite the boy’s uncouth behaviour she still felt a soft spot for him. ‘One day,’ she thought; ‘one day some very special maid might gentle him but for now the boy’s manners were a lost cause.’

“Can I listen to this advice as well?” Asked Queen Bramana, curious that a boy so immersed in the cruel skills of battle should still consult with a woman as an equal and not as some sort of soothsayer.

“Dunno, - uuhhm, - your majesty. We’ll have to see what ideas my big sis comes up with.”

“Go on then, what’s the problem brother?” Aiofe pressed.

“How to defeat the Berber pirates, these dammnable corsairs. They outnumber us twice, nearly thrice.”

“So we need a bigger fleet.”

“In a word sister, yes but they’re adding to their fleet as fast as we add to ours.”

“So we need to find allies.”

“Where?” Queen Bramana interjected. “ Our Allies are the Bastuli and Bastelani who lie eastwards of here.”

“So we cannot muster our forces then,” Drustan sighed, “for the corsairs more or less hold the centre of the straights. To join forces we would have to fight through the Berber strangle-hold.”

“It seems to be the old ‘chessboard scenario’,” Aiofe frowned, “ he who holds the centre holds the game-. Our forces are divided unless we can unite.”

Then Drustan had a thought.

“What about our new allies to the west? My own twin sister no less.”

“Who, the Lusitani and the Turduloruni?” Bramana scoffed. “ Their allegiances were always fragile. The link by sea is dangerous and once their ships pass the Pillars of Hercules there is no knowing when or even if they’ll ever get back. The middle sea is a thirsty beast and the only mouth is the straights. Most ships who enter the beast fail to get out.”

Then Drustan dropped his bombshell.

“No your majesty. There you are wrong. That is not the case anymore. My beloved Mermaid dances in the jaws of the beast and yet spits out into the great west sea. No longer are our ships trapped by the greed of the middle sea. Have you forgotten already that even in battle and pursuit I made way westwards where the Corsairs could not go. That’s how I eluded them that’s how I defeated them.”

Bramana fell silent but Aiofe understood perfectly, furthermore Mabina, the soon-to-be-crowned queen of Lusitana understood this truth as well as, if not even better than her twin brother. Aiofe smiled.

“We need only get a message to Mabina with a call to arms and she will surely come leaping to our aid.”

“I would hope so Sister,” Drustan concurred, “the essence is speed. The sooner she knows, the better.”

Even as he concluded this truth Drustan was afoot and bound to see King Appotel. From behind the mountain of scrolls and documents, Appotel agreed.

“Well lad, you’re best fitted to persuade your twin sister of the urgency. I will send a message immediately.”

“I’d prefer to go myself your majesty. She might even come herself once she understands the dangers. There is no better navigator who understands the Western sea like my sister.”

“D’you sail, or take the land road?”

“The land road I’m afraid, a galloping horse is faster than a ship, even the Angry Mermaid.”

“Very well Drustan I’ll prepare the letter now. But surely you’ll wait until the morrow. You’ve only just come off the road from Toledo. Get some sleep boy!”

“Best I take a light chariot and sleep overnight whilst still moving. I can curl up in the foot-well while my companions push on. If we keep up a steady trot we’ll easily outstrip a boat. They have to sail around the capes while we cut across the land.”
Appotel wagged his head, ‘there seemed to be no limit to the boy’s tenacity and endurance.’ He made out the letters of pratique even as Drustan gathered a team of the best horsemen and messengers. Then he had a brainwave. He sent word for the girl Arina and asked Carl and Eric to accompany her. It would do no harm to have a ‘back-up’ plan and Arina was as wise to navigating the Western sea as Mabina and Drustan. That same evening, the second fastest boat in Appotel’s modest fleet set out from Gibral westwards for the coasts of Lusitana. A young girl as navigator and two well proven seamen as captain and mate. It would also be an excellent test of the Iberian boats in the stern waters of the great west sea. Appotel was intrigued to determine who would first reach the court of the young queen Mabina.

In the end, a worn out, road-stained, filthy Drustan arrived at his twin sister’s palace a day later than the boat.

“By the god’s who’d have thought it,” remarked an exhausted Drustan as he met his sister Mabina and the crew of the boat already preparing a fleet to sail south and east to assist.”

“Why so tardy brother?”

“Oh there is much confusion abroad in your kingdom sister. Some of the smaller towns did not know you were even queen. Our party was detained twice until the town’s folk knew the truth.”

“Yes,” Mabina conceded. “Communication and information were not Portega’s strong points. His people lived in ignorance and I have much to do to rectify this.” Even now, I am opening those particular routes to Gibral and Toledo so you should have a quicker journey back.”

“How many ships have you?” Drustan asked.

“There we are lucky,” Mabina grinned. “Portega had been preparing for other battles and he had built a new fleet in readiness to invade south and north. I have nearly fifty ships and all of them brand new!”

Eric and Carl’s eyes lit up with delight. With a fleet like that their task was infinitely easier. They made their excuses to Mabina and Drustan to ask to inspect the ships. In the interim Drustan and Arina savoured the prospect of a night in proper beds as guests of Mabina. Early the next morning Carl and Eric returned with their reports.

“Well they’re sturdy and powerful ships Drustan but they’re not the quickest. They’ll take a lot of pounding though.”

“And the crews, what of their skills.”

“We took two ships out to sea last evening. They’re competent seamen and handle the ships well. Most are ex fishermen. As to men at arms to fight the ships, well Portega’s still left with a large army. It remains to make them seamen.”

“How long?” Drustan pressed impatiently.

“ A few days to sort out the sailors from the lubbers, sea-sickness and what have you; then they can train up on passage. These ships will take at least a week to make the Pillars of Hercules.”

Drustan turned to Mabina.

“Can I leave this to you, Carl and Eric. I must return post haste to prepare Appotel’s fleet. Arina can sail south with you to work with your ships and formulate tactics between the small fast lighter ships and your heavier craft. Oh by the way dear sister, I’ve got something special for you!”

“What’s that brother.”

“When’s your coronation?”

“The Autumnal equinox. Some tradition about equal day and night meaning equality to the people.”
Drustan wagged his head and grinned.

“I don’t think Portega thought much of equality. “I’ll bet they’re glad he’s gone!”

“I’m working to make that the case. Portua needs a lot of counselling but he’s responding. Pedoro and Dronus are excellent tutors and Dronus really likes his grandson. To tell the truth I think it’s the first time my future husband has ever had a blood relative who actually likes him and cares for him.”

“What about his mother?”

“She had very little to do with him, poor kid hardly knew his own mother. Portega more or less tried to make the boy a mirror of himself so the poor woman hardly saw her son. Dronus and Pedoro have their work cut out but he’s a nice kid at heart. He’s getting closer to his mother now and that’s not a bad thing. She’s desperately glad to have her son back at last. So, you can stop teasing me now; what is this ‘something special’ you have for me? ”

Drustan reached into his saddle bags stretched across Mabina’s dressing room chair and pulled out several large gold ingots. Mabina gasped as her twin smiled.

“Let no man say you came to this throne as a pauper. Count these as your dowry.”

“My God brother! I had completely forgotten. From the Mermaid!”

“The very same sister. Pure Celtic gold! I had hell’s own job recovering it from the dock without being seen. Next question, to whom do I pay your dowry?”

Mabina had to think and the question flummoxed her.

“Well I honestly don’t know brother. Normally it’s to the family of the groom.”

“That’s his mother and father, one of whom is dead,” Drustan replied with some finality. “ I suggest you keep it for your own account. Your queen and sovereign now, how does it feel. Anyway, nobody yet knows of this gold but you and me; even Aiofe remains ignorant! She gets her half if we ever get through the Berber pirates to Carthage.”

“Aren’t you going to keep your share?” Mabina wondered.

“What use is it to me? It’s just weight and a burden. Besides sister, did I not turn down this very kingdom? What are a few bars of this stuff? All I’ll ever want is a stout ship, a good sail and a fair wind; oh and a sharp sword.”

Mabina shrugged, her brother seemed to growing more and more distant. She knew what he wanted but the odds against his ever achieving it seemed impossible.

“So you ride in the morning I presume.” Mabina sighed wistfully.

“No. I ride tonight. There is no gold to weigh me down and the message I have for Appotel is simple. I’ll be there in three days for I don’t intend to get bogged down in any stupid town overnight detained by suspicious beaurocrats. I’ll just bypass the towns.”

“Well if you must then. I’ll make out a carnet for you but I doubt but half of the burghers yet know my signature and seal.”

“Exactly. I’m better off travelling with just a couple of trusted companions. Shall we eat? It’s getting dark and I’ll be glad of the full evening moon. It sets shortly after the middle hours. Then it’s just too dark to travel.”

Mabina stood with Arina as they watched her brother departing then she reluctantly returned to her apartments. She was wondering if she’d ever see her crazy wayward brother again, but then she had been thinking the same thoughts only few days earlier before they separated in Pilus’s castle. Her mood was improved when Portua came home to share dinner.

On the road south and east, Drustan was making pleasing progress and within his estimated three days he arrived saddle sore and aching as he hobbled into Appotel’s castle. They exchanged news then Drustan had the first decent sleep in nearly two weeks. He could only wait until the Lusitani fleet arrived off the mouth of the straights. The fleet would not commit to the straights until there was a reasonable certainty of tempting the Corsair fleet into a fight followed by a trap. To do this the Turdetani fleet had to somehow work its way out into the great western sea and present a tempting bait. For this the whole fleet had to be towed out three or four per night until all ten were up tide of the eastbound currents that swept most ships of the time from the Great West Sea, (Atlantic,) into the middle sea, (Mediterranean Sea). Eventually the Turdetani fleet sat under the cliffs of Cadiz awaiting a rendezvous. It followed the next evening as Carl and Eric led the mighty Lusitani fleet south and eastwards from the cape of Trafalgar. As the commanders discussed the forthcoming battle tactics the smaller, speedier ‘Mermaid type’ craft darted in and out of the scattered Berber picket boats testing their preparedness and looking for weaknesses. There were few shortcomings and Drustan reluctantly conceded privately to himself that the battle would end up being a stand up, ‘blow for blow’ slugging match. Fortunately the Lusitani ships brought a numerical advantage to the combined Iberian fleets but they still had to entice the Corsairs into a trap and the corsairs were no fools.

Disappointed with the seeming lack of imagination amongst the commanders of the Iberian fleets, Drustan slipped back to Gibral to chat with his mentor and advisor Aiofe. The Mermaid was swift and bore him quickly back to Gibral and Aiofe.

During the night they walked along the beach as they discussed scenarios and variables like fog and wind directions until eventually Aiofe and Drustan arrived at several stratagems. The one they both favoured was ‘The trap’ but determining a suitable bait gave Aiofe a head ache.

“If we were to wait until an easterly wind came in, we could then readily draw them out of the bottleneck of the western straights and into an area where the slow speed and lack of manoeuvrability of our heavier ships would not count so heavily.”

“But how can we forecast such a wind?” Drustan Wondered. “It is not like our more open seas where winds can be foretold sometimes by the tails of Odin’s horse Sliepnir. Here the mountains seem to funnel the wind. Once those fat old barges enter between the pillars they will end up in the middle sea or at least they must wait for moons at a time to find a favourable wind. Look how we struggled to get a few of them free from the grip of Hercules fist just to rendezvous with Mabina’s fleet.”

Aiofe frowned as she led Drustan to a lonely part of the beach where the rocks formed a high sided bay. There Aiofe lowered her voice.

“Some nights after you left with the Gibral fleet, I was wandering the coast to the east of here. I came upon an old fisherman who lives alone in a hut not an hour’s walk from here.”

“So?”

“I would like you to speak with him. He is not just a fisherman for he has travelled the middle sea to the very ends further even than the Argonauts. He has also travelled our waters and that makes him rare.”

“Huh. He sounds like some sort of old soothsayer to me.”

“No brother. He showed me some charts he has. They are too good a quality to be the makings of some crazy rambling old fisherman. This man was obviously once a seafarer and a traveller. Although he is old and frail he spoke of things that I can confirm, things Magab spoke of and described. But this man’s charts actually show them, the names and even pictures to illustrate the approaches. The images resemble exactly what Magab described. He also showed me his charts of the Brithonic channel, they are as accurate as ours Drustan and we tend to keep ours secret.”

Drustan’s doubts were writ large in his frown.

“If he was this knowledgeable, why is he not held in esteem by his kinsmen? Why are his charts not shared by the others of Gibral? Why does he live like an old hermit?”

“I don’t know. From his demeanour I suspect there is great tragedy in his life. Now he grows a few crops on some land above the beach and he fishes close inshore so the Corsairs cannot intercept him. But he has fished these waters since he was a child and spoke of other pointers as to when the winds were about to change. When the fog rolls in and the waters cool and the dolphins bring strange fish from the depths things are happening far below the surface. This man has fished to great depths and he has learned much of the sea. Not just the surface but deep below and high above in the clouds. He thinks he has a better chance of forecasting when the winds will turn than any other man or witch or prophet in Iberia or Numibia.”

Drustan shrugged.

“I suppose it can’t do any harm to speak to him.”

“Good. I was hoping you’d say that brother. Let us go and see him now, while it is dark and nobody sees.”

They chatted as they stepped purposefully along the beach until the pair came to a rocky outcrop that plunged into the sea.

“It’s around this point but we’ll have to wade I’m afraid. It’s not deep only knee height.” Aiofe explained.

As the pair emerged from the shallows Drustan spied the mean rough stone cabin with grass and timber roof. There was a weak glimmer of light emanating from within thus demonstrating that someone was living there. Aiofe hailed the cabin in a soft maidenly voice.

A shadow crossed the lantern and everything went dark.

“He’s just being cautious,” Aiofe added. It’s not been unknown for raiders to land on these beaches.

“Nothing changes does it?” Drustan sighed. You’d better approach first if he knows you. An armed boy might alert him.

“You’re hardly a boy now Drustan. I’ve seen grown men become cautious even at the mention of your name. Your reputation precedes you, - despite your maidenly charms.”

“Yeah, a reputation easily earned but hard to shed; Drustan the warrior, Drustan the killer, Drustan the murderer, Drustan the maidenly witch! I’m still young Aiofe not yet passed sixteen summers. Go on, you go forward, I’ll wait here.”

Aiofe approached the cabin, spoke softly to the old man inside then emerged and motioned to Drustan.

“You can come in.”

Drustan stepped forward and entered the mean sour smelling cabin. There was a tiny grate with a few feeble embers that gave some comfort to the bed that was laid close to the hearth. Furnishings were minimal, a chair and a table and a large chest. The man obviously set little store by creature comforts and appearances. Drustan however extended the man the full courtesies and introduced himself as nobleman to nobleman.

“Hello. I am Drustan Scar-arse of the Gangani, son of Caderyn, Grandson of Erin.

“I am Jubail, native of this land. Welcome to my hut.”

“My sister Aiofe tells that you were a sailor, a navigator.”

“And adventurer,” Jubail added. “But now I fish and farm.”

Drustan nodded and came straight to the point.

“My sister says that you can predict when the winds will change between the pillars.”

“Not with total accuracy but my knowledge serves to make my fishing safe from the elements if not the Barbary Pirates. If I have doubts, I do not sail.”

“Neither do I,” Drustan agreed, “there are dangers enough without being foolish or foolhardy.”

The old man nodded thinking ‘a wise head for such young shoulders.’

"So you are the boy who sailed from the Brithonic Isles.”

Drustan nodded then added, “With my two sisters, we all played equal parts in the voyage.”

“And the fighting I heard.”

Drustan simply nodded again. To add to the old man’s words would sound like bragging.

Jubail nodded back then sat on the chest inviting Drustan to join him while offering Aiofe the chair. He added some driftwood to the embers and they caught quickly. Aiofe shifted closer to the flames, grateful for the extra warmth.

“So; you wish to know the signs, the signs of the wind between the pillars.”

“Please. A battle may depend on it.”

“Many sea battles had been decided by the wind and many more will follow. Nodens and Cammas will make sure of that.”

Drustan was secretly glad that Jubail seemed to recognise the old gods of sea and wind so he asked further.

"Can you teach me, - tonight."

“No. The lessons have to be practical. Bring that famous boat you have built around to this bay tomorrow and we shall all go out on the waters. I will demonstrate the signs, for it is easier to recognise them once you have seen them. Once you have seen and felt them you will have no need of words or letters and others will not understand your secrets. Trust me. Go back now and get your boat. Bring it here for if the Corsairs see us I am told your boat can outrun them. Your sister may stay here if you wish. I have much to divulge.”

Drustan wasn’t sure about leaving Aiofe unguarded but time was pressing and the sun would be up in a few hours. Best if he slipped out of Gibral without causing too much fuss.

His departure was easy. He had arrived alone at night, now he was departing alone at night. The guards well knew that Drustan often had his own secret agendas and he also had King Appotel’s pratique. Just as the sun was rising Drustan entered the little bay. His inshore passage from Gibral to Jubail’s bay had been shielded from the straights by darkness at first then a low bank of early morning mist. He slipped into the bay un-noticed and was met by Aiofe and Jubail who had gathered some strange fishing equipment. The most notable part being a reel with what seemed like hundreds of fathoms of fine line made from some fibre Drustan had never seen before. Once everything was loaded Drustan returned to sea with Aiofe and Jubail.

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Comments

Excellent ...

... as always. Thank you.

You manage this SO well ...

... that I feel privileged to be able to read this sunningly great series. Thanks are inadequate, but all I have

"The Cost of Living Does Not Appear To Have Affected Its Popularity"
in most, but not all, instances

"The Cost of Living Does Not Appear To Have Affected Its Popularity"in most, but not all, instances

Excelent

Excelent tale. I siply can not stop in the midle of a chapter.
And an interesting development for the country of Lusitania (Portugal) from wich caravels with shapes very similar to that of the Angry Mermaid (if I understand it well) will sail one day and create my country (Brasil).
Well, it must have taken some research to learn of this name (Lusitania) and now I imagine that the two other kingdons quoted will be one day Castilha and Isabela. The two kingdons will unite to become Spain.
One day, a genovese sailor will be financed by a queen of Spain and will discover America.

Poetic, very poetic.
Congratulations are in order, you just itertwined your fictional plot with very important real historical events.

So, instead of the school of Sagres (Portugal) developing the caravel, it was done by a boy and a girl in distant Britain.

Please, correct me if I am wrong with my historic assumptions.

Very well written, tank you for the pleasure of reading this.

In all truth

The story is essentially a fiction, I have not even fixed the time in history, you can see from some of the illustrations that the clothes and the dates do not correspond. I later write of 'Templar Knights but this story could well have been set before the arrival of Islam. In all truth it's a bit of a mish-mash of historical names conjoured into a story with an approximate geography and even more approximate history.

Nevertheless, Thanks hugely for your comments.

Comments are the life blood to authors and sometimes the feed back is genuinly helpful.

Live long and prosper.

Beverly.

Growing old disgracefully.

bev_1.jpg

Who cares?

...if the timelines don't match historical reality? It's a work of ficton to be enjoyed as such. So just keep writing. I remember an American film where some teenagers went back in tme to the Middle Ages, all castles and armoured knights. In California. Now, that was a stupidity too far. The differenceis that you know where your anachronisms might lurk, and they hadn't a clue.

I remember that movie...

Andrea Lena's picture

...Wasn't it Bev and Steph's Excellent Adventure?
Either way, I'm likely anachronistic all by myself. Excellent story, Bev! Thank you!



Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena

  

To be alive is to be vulnerable. Madeleine L'Engle
Love, Andrea Lena

wow

better and better. icant stop reading. going to be so interesting to see where this story goes. keep up the good work.
robert

001.JPG

The hyper or is it hyposaline current?

Some of the ancients knew of it.

The Mediterranean is so restricted and the effects of sun and wind so great it acts as a great evaporator, concentrating the salt in the water. The hyper saline water, IE the super saturated salt water, is denser than normal salt water and sinks to the lower depths and out into the abysmal deep of the Atlantic. Drop a sail on a very long line and you can use this opposing current to pull ship out of the Mediterranean.

A similar effect and current occures in the Artic as the freezing of sea ice separates salts from the water ice. This drives the Gulf Stream.

I suspect the fisherman knows of it, the Mediteranian one, and also of the weather signs of the area. Both would be of military advantage.

BIG Q: Is Dustan both a boy and a girl, IE one of those rare people fertile as both or is she /he sterile? Or Is he really a she? What is he/she really... in his/her mind and body?

The poor child/adult needs o learn and soon if he/she is to survive and prosper. The life of a warrior of renown is short and savage. maybe in Carthage the Islamic doctors will know of her condition, they were the best of their time, and what he/she truly is, if she can get her sister and her there.

And will she/he ever see their captured sibling again?

Great stuff.

John in Wauwatosa

John in Wauwatosa

A huge thanks John

I vaguely remember the princples of the Hyposaline countercurrents from my college days and yes I hoped I'd written enough about it to 'get me by' through the fiction of A.M. (Angry Mermaid.) You've reassured me on the science cos it was over thirty years ago that I studied this stuff. The submarine sail principle is something I hadn't known about but it makes perfect sense. Considering the density of water and extrapolating the energy dynamics, the deep level submarine sail wouldn't have to be very big, just very strong. On that particular issue you've given me huge reassurance and for that I thank you graciously.

Now as to Drustan's (Soon to start calling him/herself Drustina,)sexual configurations. Our hero is a fertile bilateral hermaphrodite.
So far, there is reputed to have been one recorded case in South Africa of an individual having self fertilised her/himself. This is plausible given the known and recorded expanse and range of the black african genome where the DNA variables are infinitely greater than the caucasians.
The reason for this, I believe is that the survival genetics in warm fertile Africa are given a much greater range of tolerance for ease of survival and consequently the genetic range in some quite small African tribes is much greater than the whole caucasian race.

If a species of homo-sapien moves away from the hot sun and fertile jungle/savannah of Africa they develop survival characteristics that become locked into their genome and narrow their genome base. For example, paler skin enables more efficient assimilation of Vitamin D through Sunlight absorbtion in higer latitudes with lower levels of annual sunlight through seasonal variations.

Homos sapiens that move away from a fertile base become nomadic in poorer climes where food is scarce. Consequently they have to move around in a constant search for food. To do this they must have a high value high energy food source during times of extensive travel with no access to crops. One of the most effective sources of that high protein energy is of course MILK carried of course in equine and Bovine udders on the move.

Over the hundreds of generations of nomadic wanderings high latitude nomads have developed a high tolerance for lactic acid (Milk) consequently Caucasians have a higher milk tolerance than Negroid or Mongoloid homo sapiens. Another consequence is that they have lost their resistance to diseases like malaria because there are no encephalatic mossies in higher latitudes. Sicle-cell is a very effective barrier to malaria and very prevalent in central Africa.

If a bilateral hermaphrodite was to appear in a higher order mammal (Homos Sapien,) it would most likely emerge in Africa were the gene base is wider and more varied.

There have been several recorded cases of lower order mammals self fertilising, like Rabbits in vetinary laboratories.

For your peace of mind.

Drustan/Drustina is a fertile bilateral hermaphrodite who goes on to conceive a child by Torvel and then father a child by Arina when she is older. As to Drustina's 'sexuality' the poor individual is a totally confused bi-sexual who finds herself totally at odds with the mysoginistic, homophobic priests of the early Roman Church. (See Diet of Antium 490 a.d., or thereabouts.)

She ends up returning to Lleyn (Wales) via the Black Sea viking trading routes, the Baltic sea and the North sea. Angry Mermaid remains with her throughout her adventures even being 'slithered' by ropes accross the extensive mud flats of the medievil Pripet Marshes from the Black sea basin to the Baltic basin.

She re-invades Wales to join a successful army against the Norsemen at the battle of Brombrough where she allies herself with the Saxons through Eric and Carl to defeat the Vikings on the Wirral perninsular.

I have to warn you this is a total fiction and the chronology is just about as flexible as it can get.

I sincerely hope that nit picking historians will recognise this in future chapter.

IT IS A FICTION!!!

Hope you like it Beverly.

Growing old disgracefully.

bev_1.jpg

Just to clear it up ...

... hypo- is the opposite of hyper-
The first means lower, under, less and the second means higher, over, more. I remember the difference by thinking of my nephew Eric. He was a total energy ball, always running around, speaking rapidly and so on. He was described as being hyper-active. And his name starts with 'ER' so it's hypER for more!
'Derm' is the root word for skin - as in Dermatologist, so when we get an injection, the needle goes under the skin - this is a hypodermic, under the skin. (An elephant is called a 'pachyderm' which means 'thick skin')
Anyway - the ocean currents are all linked in a convoluted array of surface and deep currents. I think it a bit of a stretch to claim that the sink currents of the Arctic are the drivers of the Gulf Stream. These sink currents are indeed caused by hypersalinity and the 'heavier' water sinks to the ocean floor. This current then flows all the way down the American coast to Antarctica, then zoom across towards Australia then wiggle around a bit in the Pacific. The Gulf Stream as it is defined is a surface warm water current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico (BP permitting!) and across to Europe (it's the reason that the UK has a far milder climate than most countries at that latitude)
I'm also somewhat confused by your claim that one of the siblings has been captured. Er .... Drustan and Aiofe are going on a fishing trip in the Mermaid, and Drustan's twin (exact spelling forgotten, so abbreviated to M) M is now a queen and about to be married! Maybe I missed something. I'll go and reread.

TTFN

Di

"The Cost of Living Does Not Appear To Have Affected Its Popularity"
in most, but not all, instances

"The Cost of Living Does Not Appear To Have Affected Its Popularity"in most, but not all, instances

Go back to the Norse destruction of Drustan's village.

I did not state exactly what happened to Drustan's other sister Tara. If you re-read chapter 3 you will see that the three were not sure what had happened to Tara, she may have been slaughtered or taken for slavery. In fact, like Aiofe she was taken for slavery or prostitution by the norse attackers but the others didn't know that. Of course Aiofe was rescued by Mabina, and Drustan in the Angry mermaid. Tara was not rescued and I did not actually say specifically what happened to her. I come to Drustina's meeting Tara in later chapters. (Tara is in for a shock!)

Beverly.

Growing old disgracefully.

bev_1.jpg

Angry Mermaid

Good chapter.

While you may have a mish mash of location names, it is straight forward to google the locations to old time maps that provide a sense of distance.

Glad to see Drustan mentally maturing.

Thanks
Carla

"May you live in Interesting Times" is a promise, not a threat!

Portua could be basis for Portugal

Could perhaps the name Portua be the origins of the name for Portugal. The geography seems right. What do you think or do you already know?

Much Love,

Valerie R

Navagator

tools of the..Ded reckoning?

alissa