The Angry Mermaid 72 or Y Morforwyn Dicllon 72.

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Having warned the Saxon king who proves to be preoccupied with pious endeavours, Drustina decides to get proactive and go searching for the Viking invasion fleet. She eventually gathers some news of the Viking activities but nearly comes to grief because of natural, unexpected perils.


The Angry Mermaid 72.

Or.

Y Morforwyn Dicllon 72.

Mabina.... The youngest daughter and Twin to
Drustan.... Her twin brother.
Grandpa Erin.... The twin’s grandfather.
Giana.... The twin’s grandmother
Caderyn.... The twin’s father.
Herenoie.... The twin’s wise and beautiful mother.
Morgaran.... The Twins oldest brother.
Aiofe.... The twin’s oldest sister. Famous for her beauty.
Tara.... The twin’s 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.
Jubail... Old Fisherman.
Mutas... Magab’s younger brother and usurper.
Walezia... King of Malta.
Alviar... Megalomaniacal bishop of Carthage. (Hates Drustina.)
Ethelia... Female healer who treats Drustina during her pregnancy.
Seripatese... Drustina’s faithful horse.
Astos & Amitor... Minor royalty who govern Alexandria. King and Twin Queen.
Meronee... Nubian Queen of Nobatia The northern Kingdom of the Nubians.
Horam... The Egyptian master Boat builder.
Muraa... King Astos’s male partner.
Tuk... Makurian general.
Fantu... Makurian Captain.
Irene... Emperor Leon’s only child.
Leon... Byzantine Emperor.
Zano... Byzantine general who defeats the Bulgars with Drustina’s help.
Urthos... The Gaul elected captain of the 4th ship. Ex Barbary galley slave.
Horus... Horam the boat-builder’s son.
Sister Catherine... Leader of the pirate nuns.
Guthrun... Jarl of Bornholm.
Etheline... Guthruns’ wife the countess of Bornholm.
Capenda... Taras’ mare.
Athun... Gay king of Dark Age Denmark.
Queen Elthorn... King Athuns’ Consort.
Iselda... Athun and Brendigan’s, younger (middle) sister.
Heingist... Drustina’s loyal Danish navigator and pilot.
Brendigan... Athun’s older sister and consort queen of Svenland.
Bjorn... The captain of the Palace Guard. King Athun’s gay partner.
Morgan and Amethyst... Drustina’s twin children.
Dalcimon ... Queen of West Friesia.
Andrar ... Prince of West Friesia (Dalcimon’s son.)
Jupus ... Carl’s stallion.
Heliox. Drustina’s second mate and deputy navigator (Ex Belgiie fisherman)
Gisela Viking princess captured after the Battle of Godwin Sands.
“Althred.... Young Saxon Naval commander who allies his fleet with Drustina
Edburg.... The Angry Mermaid’s cook

Chapter 72.

As the supply boat brought the hot food alongside, Drustina joined the queue on the Mermaid to collect her meal. She collected a second smaller meal for the Viking princess and took both meals to share at the foot of the mast. The girl stared angrily but Drustina could see she had been crying. Drustina actually felt sorry for the girl but she displayed no sympathy save to release one hand from the manacle to enable her to eat properly and not guzzle the food from the bowl like some beast.

“I don’t want it.” The girl protested, ‘stupidly and bravely’ Drustina thought.

“You’d better. You might not see a hot meal or any food at all for a day or more. We have to make a patrol of the sea to establish where your father’s fleet is.”

“I’ll eat my next meal off your body ... when it’s lying with a sword through your heart!”

Drustina shrugged; she had received worse threats.

“Happen you might. Nobody knows the future. But I’d still eat this if I were you. It gets cold at night without cover and you’re not properly dressed for a night in an open warship. Death by exposure is a very cruel passing.”
The girl cursed but her hunger pains overcame her pride and she ate the food while desperately trying to hide her starvation. Drustina grinned then asked.

“D’you want to wee?”

The girl glared again.

“How can I see to my toilet amidst all these brutes?!”

“I do. Get used to it. If you want I’ll chaperone you to the stern. The mermaid is the only one of my warships with a fitting that accommodates my needs. Though my men use it as well and the other ships are beginning to copy the idea. It’s better than weeing shitting with your arse poked over the side. If you want to wee, I’ll take you now. The men won’t look, they’re used to me!”

Gisela finished her food and sighed when Drustina slipped the other manacle.

“Do I have to wear these all the time?”

“When I’m not looking, yes. There’s no knowing what trouble you might cause if I let you loose whilst were fighting. I still can’t trust you, you’re a Viking when all said and done.”

Gisela fell silent but Drustina sensed she was coming to terms with her reality and also beginning to see Drustina as her only protection. Although just fourteen, Gisela had been brutally raped and therefore compelled to develop a hypersensitive, womanly ability to detect puerile male interest. At least Drustina’s authority and femininity served to protect her from any more attacks and abuses. Drustina was the only proper female company Gisela had encountered since being rescued then taken captive from the Godwin sand-banks. She also recognised that the only time she had been abused was when she had not enjoyed Drustina’s protection. Reluctantly and with a grudging acknowledgement she realised Drustina was taking the only course open to her if she was to protect herself and her men when they were actually in the heat of battle. It would have been sheer lunacy to allow the Viking princess freedom to attack from the rear.

Drustina led her to the stern and pulled her cape around the two of them while Gisela relieved herself. Then she instructed her in basic care aboard ship.

“There’s some moss and some vinegar in those two buckets. The vinegar makes you clean and stops worms. Don’t ask me how but the Byzantines showed me and it’s true. Wash your hands and arse with the vinegar after you’ve wiped. Throw the moss into the sea.”
Gisela did as instructed and winced as the vinegar stung the cuts where she had been forcibly raped.

“Ouch! That hurts.”

“They say it’s good for cuts as well. Now, d’you want to wear britches or that gown?”

Gisela studied the stained gown and recognised the stains as cruel reminders of her blameless fall from maidenhood. The anger pierced her resolve and she tearfully accepted Drustina’s offer of a pair of britches. She stepped into them and tested the freedom. She could move her legs every bit as freely as when wearing the gown but more importantly, she was warm. She stood to return to the mast but Drustina restrained her.

“What d’you say?”

“For what?”

“The britches you presumptuous little madam. Your royal status counts for very little with me. I expect a thank you when I do somebody a favour. Those are the only other britches I have aboard this ship. The others are with Sister Catherine. You’ll be thankful for those tonight.”

“Where are we going tonight?”

“Never mind that, the less you know the better. Wherever we go it’ll be cold. There’s no cloud so the night will get cold very quickly. It’s not yet the height of summer. So what do you say?”

Gisela mumbled a reluctant thank-you but it served. Drustina nodded towards the manacles attached to the mast.

“Right. Now back to your mast you cheeky little madam, I can’t risk you being free if we have to fight.”

Gisela glared again but Drustina ignored the girl’s curses. Her duty was to her crew and nobody knew the dangers of having an enemy amongst your own ranks better than Drustina. She gave the order to divide her forces and circumnavigate Ynys Wynn so the whole fleet divided into three groups. Twelve each to patrol the two channels comprising Solanta whilst Carl and Drustina went on further ranging patrols to try and locate the Viking fleet. Drustina searched east towards the white cliffs and narrow channel whilst Carl took his ship west to the giant bone yard beaches of West Essex.

~o0o~

Six days of patient searching whilst stopping every ship they encountered produced little result and Drustina was beginning to get disheartened. Twice she returned to Ynys Wynn to rendezvous with Carl or Althred but they had had no luck either. She cursed as she set out on yet a third patrol.

This time she got desperate and she sailed south right across the channel to a peninsular of land where the Gauls had a harbour called Charburg. As she arrived off the cliffs she stopped and waited until some activity became discernible in a small inlet leading between a cleft in the cliffs. Eventually, two smallish harbour craft emerged and cautiously approached. When they were near enough, one craft stood off whilst the smaller craft approached within hailing distance and spoke to the Mermaid.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

Drustina identified herself for there was no obvious evidence that secrecy was required. The two craft where little more than harbour skiffs.

“I am Drustina ap Caderyn ap Erin, Lioness of Carthage. I come seeking information.”

“What information?”

“Information about any Vikings being active this year.”

There was a long interval while the smaller craft rejoined its larger sister and the crews held a discussion. Eventually the smaller skiff approached again but this time with somebody of authority who had transferred from the larger harbour craft. The skiff approached warily until Drustina could talk easily with the local chief. He asked suspiciously.

“Why d’you ask about Vikings? Are you in league with them?”

Drustina acknowledged the man’s right to be suspicious and wary. She had experienced Viking violence and it had left her ever wounded. She repeated her identity.

“I am Drustina ap Caderyn ap Erin, The Lioness of Carthage have you not heard of me. I am the Celt who laid Blue-face low during the fighting in Dumnoniia. I am the relative of Dryslwyn the high chief of the Bretons to the west.”

The Gaulish Chieftain frowned.

“If you are that Celt then you will have a scar the length of your arse. That Celt received a huge cut on the arse and became known as Drustan Scar-arse. That Celt was but a boy. I have spoken directly with King Dryslwyn and he tells of a boy! You are a woman!”

Drustina swallowed nervously and cursed inwardly. There was nothing for it but to reveal her duality. Quickly, she pulled her britches down and relieved herself by urinating over the side via her maleness thus causing the chieftain’s eyes to pop. Then she tugged down the back of her britches to expose the huge ugly scar that ran from her waist to the top of her thigh. Angrily she challenged the chieftain.

“Does that satisfy your suspicious little mind Gaul!?”

The chieftain was still swallowing in disbelief as his eyes scanned Drustina’s ripe breasts and rounded hips as she hauled her britches up again. Finally his jaw stopped working spasmodically and he acknowledged her identity.

“My God!! What are you?”

“I’m your nemesis if you don’t stop gulping like a bloody fish and give me some news of the damnable Vikings. Have you any news?”

The chieftain finally recovered his composure and advised Drustina that some Viking ships had been reported entering the River Seine and wreaking death and destruction.

“I cannot confirm the full facts but several ships have visited Charburg whilst fleeing to the west and all have spoken of the Vikings occupying the Seine Estuary.”

Drustina nodded with satisfaction.

“Thank you chieftain, if you have any food to trade I will pay you in silver or gold. Just have one of your boats bring it out to us.”

“Why do you not come into our harbour, there it will be much easier to victual your ship.”

Drustina was wary of this offer, primarily because she knew the news of her duality would be spreading around Charburg like wild-fire the moment the chieftain returned to his town. The last thing Drustina wanted was for some bloody Christian priest to come blustering down the quay and censuring her for her duality by accusing her of being a monster or an abomination in the eyes of their stupid God. Secondly, she had no intention of being trapped in the little harbour by either Vikings of religious bigots. She repeated her offer to trade gold for food.

She explained her concerns about Viking raiders and declined to risk getting trapped in the harbour. The chieftain nodded his understanding and left to organise a victualing deal with the town’s market-men. Drustina turned to organise the anchor while the Mermaid waited for some stores to be delivered; she felt two eyes boring holes in her back. Sensing the source, she span round to find Gisela staring at her with a combination of fear and incredulity filling her expression.

“What?” Drustina demanded.

“Are you some sort of demon?!” The girl screeched.

“Don’t be bloody stupid girl. I’m a woman, just like you’ll grow to be, one day.”

“You have a cock! I saw it!”

“Oh bugger off child! I have born twins you fool! What know you of motherhood or fatherhood; birth and death; war and peace? You know nothing!”

“You must be some sort of demon! Some sort of monster! That is why men cannot defeat you; you’re some sort of sorceress!”

Drustina started to see red as memories of Bishop Alviar’s bigoted persecution flickered cruelly in her memory. She stood rigid as a statue for several seconds as her rage caused two scarlet spots to grow on her cheeks. She ground her jaws and teeth together with suppressed fury as her grey eyes glinted metallically before the first glint of a tear threatened her struggle to keep her composure. Her hands trembled as she fingered her sword and, for the first time, Gisela realised she might just have overstepped the mark. Her eyes fell on Drustina’s white knuckles as she clenched the sword’s handle and slowly started to draw the deadly blade.

Drustina’s voice came as little more than a hoarse whisper as she stared manically down at the tethered, unarmed prisoner.

“What did you say you little bitch!!!? You just called me a monster!!”

Gisela fell silent as she sensed Drustina’s rising bile. Fear of her approaching death had stolen her voice but eventually, she croaked the next words.

“Sorry Lioness. I shouldn’t have called you those things.”

Drustina continued staring down at the Viking princess like some predator deciding how to kill its meal. Her mind was in turmoil as she struggled to find suitable admonishments.

“What did you just say? You, you of all people, a bloody worshipper of Sappho! Surely I have a right to expect some sort of insight, some sort of understanding by you at least! By the gods, you are but a pervert, a deviant yourself. That makes you a hypocrite. We none of us can alter or be held account for what we are born but we can at least change that which we were wrongly taught. How am I to teach you good from evil or right from wrong when you harbour such prejudice and intolerance?”

She knelt down and leaned in close to fix Gisela with a manic glare but even yet, she hesitated to administer the coup-de-grace. Something even then caused her to pause and she spat out her contempt.

“I would not soil my sword with such filth as you, betrayer, liar, scum! You will remain manacled even through battle and thus know what real fear is you cunt!”

The intensity of Drustina’s anger was a force Gisela had never experienced before. She only recognised it because she had felt its strength and finally identified its source. It was the feeling of betrayal elucidated by Gisela’s bigotry. That bigotry was the key element in Drustina’s life-long sense of always being persecuted, always being pursued; the devil on her tail. Gisela’s bigotry was the external entity that Drustina had eventually recognised and in her fury finally faced ... but the effort had left her weary.

As she stumbled to her feet, she looked down at the teenager with a final contemptuous glance and sighed tearfully.

‘Do all those who know my secret hold the same view as her?’ She asked herself.

She stepped aft tight lipped and wet eyed as she wordlessly dismissed the steersman and sent him to join his comrades having their meal in the forward cuddy. Drustina wanted to be alone.

~o0o~

Solitude however, was something never to be found on a battle ready ship; especially a ship as small and tight as The Angry mermaid. As he finished his chewing his last piece of bread, Hengis glanced aft to study the forlorn, huddled image of his leader. Her food lay untouched beside him for she had not deigned to collect it from the common table in the bow cuddy. Hengis recognised it was getting cold so he took it aft, passing Gisela as went. She looked up expectantly but her expression quickly soured as he passed her and continued aft. Hengis knew not to ask what was troubling his mistress but he held out the food to tempt her.

“You’d best eat this before it gets too cold.”

Drustina looked up with a wan smile.

“D’you see me as a freak Hengis? Am I a monster?”

“No.”

It was a simple one word answer but for Drustina only one word was needed. No elaboration, no effusive praise, no longwinded explanations. Just a simple ‘no’. She stood up and saw with satisfaction that a supply ships was coming out of Charburg. She caught Hengis’ eye and nodded towards the approaching craft.

“Have Edburg make sure we get good rations, no rotten meat and such.”

Hengis turned to return forward then noticed the Viking princess was still manacled to the mast and had not received much food he turned to ask Drustina.

“There’s some food left in the pot, I’ll get her some more.”

“She can starve for all I care.”

“I’ll take that as a yes then.”

Drustina shrugged and turned to look aft while Hengis emptied the cauldron of its dregs and proffered a bowl to Gisela. It was still hot and the girl ate it greedily whilst Hengis looked down at her golden hair. Finally he asked.

“What did you say to so turn her against you?”

“Was she ever for me?” Gisela replied.

“If she wasn’t you’d be long dead and feeding the fishes by now, or tied down on one of the other ships and used as a fleet plaything for everyman’s gratification.”

“They wouldn’t have dared! I’m the daughter of the Viking king!”

Hengis wagged his head despondently, ‘The girl still didn’t seem to get it’.

“You just don’t get it do you Gisela? You say you are the daughter of Harald Cold Blood; the butcher of the north. Do you not know of your father’s reputation for brutality towards his victims? For that reason alone nearly every Saxon, Friesian, Celt, Frank, Gaul, Pict and Scot would hate you and immediately move to rape or kill you. You have no idea how much your father’s armies and ships are hated and feared do you? Only the Danes will truck with your people and that only because you are blood brothers.”
Gisela fell silent, the very mention of the word ‘rape’ sent a sickening wrench through her body and spirit. She curled up into a foetal ball and hugged herself tightly as she willed the nausea to leave her. It didn’t. Hengis shrugged partly through guilt for having terrified her and yet partly with frustration because of Gisela’s immature intransigence. Having exhausted his arguments with Gisela, Hengis turned to speak to Edburg the cook about the approaching supply ship.

Once the Mermaid was victualled, Hengis weighed anchor and set sail Eastwards at slow speed towards the River seine. Drustina was still asleep on the spare sail not more than a couple of yards from the manacled Gisela. She slept because her wound still troubled her.

Hengis let Drustina rest, for only he realised how much her shoulder wound was still paining her. Additionally, Hengis knew what was expected of him. The plan was to arrive at Honfleur just before dawn and hopefully learn important stuff about the Viking fleet if it was still loitering around the Seine Estuary.

A day and a half later Drustina and Hengis found themselves completely lost in a thick morning fog that denied them any knowledge of their exact position except the fact that the water was shallowing and was beginning to taste fresher. The pair were stood in huddle with several of the older comrades as they discussed options when a feint roaring sound interrupted their deliberations.
“What’s that?” Drustina wondered aloud as everybody searched the fog for some sort of explanation.

“Don’t know”, Hengis replied, it sounds like some sort of breaking wave or waterfall.

“But it’s flat calm there shouldn’t be any breakers even if we’re close to the shore.”

As Hengis and Drustina exchanged puzzled looks one of the crew yelled with alarm.

“Look out!! Big waves, dead astern!!”

As one, the whole crew turned to look aft only to see a series of rapidly approaching waves come racing out of the fog.

“By the gods! Look out. Turn about and put our bow to them ¬!” Hengis roared.

“There’s no time for that Hengis we’ll have to take them on the stern. Man as many oars and pull her ahead as fast as we can. Now! No arguments!”

The men flung themselves onto the nearest oars as Drustina leapt to man the tiller. The Mermaid had only just started to make
headway when the first wave came crashing in and threatened to broach her. Drustina screamed at the starboard rowers.

“Pull! Pull for all your worth. Port men back your oars we’ve got to stop her broaching.”

The mermaid’s stern pitched violently upwards and almost dislodged Drustina from her desperate grip on the tiller. A couple of the aftermost rowers were knocked from their thwarts by the incoming rush of the breaking wave as it swept inboard from the port quarter. From all sides men were cursing and coughing as the wave swept over them and flooded into the bilge along the keelson. The Mermaid lurched sickeningly as free surface threatened to swamp her and Gisela gave vent to a terrified gurgling scream. She was drowning before Drustina’s very eyes because she was still manacled to the pulpit at the foot of the mast. Drustina stared in horror for she was now torn between two almost impossible conflicts, release the tiller and rush amidships to unlock Gisela’s manacles or ignore the girl and concentrate on keeping the Mermaid upright.

The latter task had already become a desperate gamble as Hengis and several rowers realised the dangers of the free surface water slopping about under the thwarts.

Drustina turned fearfully as she heard and felt the approach of the next rushing wave, even higher and steeper than the first.

‘What to do!’ She wondered as her mind raced to work a solution.

Whatever happened, she had to keep the mermaid lengthways to the waves. In a virtual blind panic she screamed at Hengis and Edburg the cook to take the two foremost oars and pull for all their lives. It was but a second for the two experienced men to grasp the idea that the most longitudinal leverage could be applied at the bow and they immediately bent to with desperate strength.

Once again, the mermaid’s stern started to rise and yet more water started flooding inboard as the ship rocked and flopped perilously close to a capsize. Drustina simply closed her eyes and hauled as hard as she could on the tiller to try and keep the Mermaid stern on the breaking wave while the men pulled like demented fiends on their oars. Now the water was almost level with the thwarts and Drustina could not see Gisela’s head. The Mermaid lurched again and as the third and largest wave approached she started to broach uncontrollably. There was nothing more Drustina could do. It was in the laps of the gods. In the trough between the second and third waves she fell of the back of the second wave and gave an almighty lurch that sent several men into the water.

To Drustina’s amazement the same violent roll also caused much of the sloshing water to surge over the side as the Mermaid rolled wildly and continued slopping water over alternate sides. She watched disbelievingly as the improved buoyancy caused her to heel almost on her beam ends as men clung on desperately to any fixture they could grab. Drustina just stared stupidly at the wall of water as her beloved ship, now free of the bulk of the free-surface water, somehow managed to bob to the crest of the highest third wave and then plunge recklessly into the back of it. Drustina had no idea what lay behind the third wave and she was stunned to learn that there was little or no trough behind it. It seemed that the sea had risen slab-like in three ferocious steps.

As calm returned to the Mermaid, Drustina had no time to ponder on the cause of such an unusual phenomenon. Her first thought was for the girl manacled to the foot of the mast so she quickly located the submerged girl and released the manacle to allow Gisela to surface from the bilges. A spluttering and coughing Gisela emerged from the bilge-water as she screamed and cursed her captor.

“I almost drowned you bitch! My father will kill you all for this insult!”

Drustina snorted contemptuously as she riposted.

“You’re alive; be thankful. There are some of us in the water as you speak! The manacles made certain you weren’t swept overboard
so be thankful and shut up while we check for survivors.”

Gisela was about to continue haranguing Drustina but a smart rap on her wet arse by the flat of Hengis’ sword quickly encouraged the Viking Princess to be quiet.

A quick roll call revealed that five of Drustina’s companions were overboard and she had to find them. Fortunately, they had not been armed for battle so Drustina knew her men would not have been dragged to the bottom by their armour. As the rushing, roaring
torrent faded away into the mist, the cries of her invisible comrades became audible.

Hengis waved his sword towards the cries thus confirming Drustina’s conclusion and while some men baled the water from the bilge, others set to with the oars. Soon they came upon four of the men and hauled them inboard. Drustina interrogated them.

“Did any of you see where young Wulff got to?”

They all agreed that the young Wulff had probably been carried further away as he had been flung out by the unexpected first wave. Unfortunately, nobody had any idea in which direction Wulff might have drifted.

A morning breeze had now sprung up and the sea was becoming rippled but at least the mist was getting thinner. The wind however was a double edged sword. If Wulff was down-wind they might not be able to hear his calls but if he was upwind as Drustina hoped he was, there was hope of them hearing his cries. Unfortunately Drustina had no way of knowing if the Mermaid had drifted further downwind than Wulff. She hoped that the Mermaid’s greater windage offered a greater profile to the wind than Wulff’s head, and that their ship had drifted further downwind.

Drustina cursed and called for complete silence then she gave an ear-piercing shriek that actually hurt some of the older men’s ears.
Three times Drustina repeated her demented shriek but nobody heard any reply from the mist until after Drustina’s third call, Gisela reacted.

“I heard something, over there I think.”

Drustina stopped and stared suspiciously at the girl.

‘Did the girl have some sort of trick up her sleeve?’ She wondered as she prepared to shout again.

“I’ll scream once more, cover your ears so I don’t disable your hearing, then listen again when I’m silent.”

The girl did as ordered and the second time she nodded vigorously.

“Yes; definitely, over there.”

Drustina was still not convinced; she simply did not trust the young Viking girl.

“Did anybody else hear anything?” Drustina checked with her men.

Blank looks and shrugs met her question; it seemed that Gisela’s young female ears were more sensitive than the men’s older ones.
Drustina studied the girl and looked for any signs of deceit; she could discern none so she reconciled herself to Gisela’s seeming conversion. She set course into the wind using muffled oars and continued calling loudly until sure enough; Vullf’s voice came drifting faintly across the water.

“Over here!” The bow man shouted.

This time several of her crew confirmed it and Drustina sighed with relief and smiled gratefully at the young Viking girl..

“Thanks Gisela, I know you didn’t have to do that, thank you.

Gisela fell silent. She wasn’t about to convey any sort of empathy with her captor but she was secretly glad that Drustina had seen fit to release her after the unexpected event. She rubbed her wrists gratefully to relieve the soreness. Drustina told her to go and see the healer for a salve or unction to treat the chaff marks. Gisela was testing the ointment even as Wulff eventually became visible. The Viking princess stared at the young figure then realised Wulff was trying to shout something. She pleaded for silence then strained to make out Wulff’s words. Gisela waved her hand instructing everybody to be quiet and eventually Wulff could be discerned shouting something about ‘bottom’. Eventually Gisela deciphered his words and cried a warning.

“He’s standing on the bottom!”

“What!”

Drustina almost choked as she squawked out an expletive then she cursed and swung the tiller violently over as the men leapt to attend the ropes. They knew exactly what to do and within seconds the Mermaid was heeling precariously yet again as the manoeuvre tested her still vulnerable stability to its limits. As Mermaid swerved, the free-surface water still lying in the bilges slopped about and threatened yet to capsize the craft. Frantically the balers doubled their efforts as the lee rail threatened to dip below the surface. Then, eventually all way was taken off the mermaid and they cautiously probed for the bottom as the Mermaid approached the half frozen young Wulff. Hengis realised the boy was at the end of his tether so he jumped into the water and towed the boy back to the ship and safety.

Once everybody was accounted for, Drustina set all hands including herself to removing the last remnants of free water from the Mermaid. She was mildly surprised and pleased to see Gisela using her hat as a baling pan.

Once the Mermaid was dry Gisela held out her hat with a rueful expression.

“It’s ruined.”

“Don’t worry girl, I’ll see you get a new hat as soon as we return to Britannia.”

Gisela snorted irritably.

“I’ll need a whole new outfit of clothes as well, these are ruined.”

“I’ll see what can be done. But not now; by the colour of the water and the brackish taste, I’ve a feeling we are approaching the great Seine river and the town of Honfleur. I wish this damned fog would clear.”

Even as Drustina spoke, a soft call came from the bow.

“I think I’ve just seen some land, trees and a low cliff.”

Drustina had every hand turned to listening and looking. Soon the lookout’s observations were confirmed and a wooded headland loomed into view as the fog rolled in and out. Hengis came aft to discuss their actions.

“Are you going to land here?”

“I’ll send three volunteers in the jolly-boat. Ask the men.”

“I’ll go myself if you’re happy with that. I speak Frankish and Gaul as well as Saxon.”

Drustina nodded with Satisfaction; Hengis was an experienced lieutenant who wasn’t likely to take stupid risks. She left it to him to decide which of the volunteers to take and watched they prepared to leave. When she noted four men going she approached Hengis to find out why. He explained he felt it was a better number if they did encounter any unexpected situation. Drustina nodded, it made little difference to the risks and there were still plenty of men to man the Mermaid if they had to make a run or if the fog cleared and they had to leave anyway.

As the jolly-boat pulled away, Drustina decided to eat and as she sat with Wulff, Gisela approached.

“May I eat also?”

Drustina nodded towards the pot that Edburg the cook had started.

“There’ll be a hot stew or something shortly, you’d best be early if you’re to get a decent portion.”

For the rest of the morning, the Mermaids crew spelled each other with cat-naps because the fog had thickened again and there was little chance of them being discovered. As she lay at anchor in total silence, Drustina and her men could hear occasional shouts and other noises coming from the shore but they appeared to be the everyday sounds of a community going about its business.
Drustina even managed to catch some badly needed sleep until she was woken by a gentle shaking of her other, unwounded shoulder.

It was Heliox her second mate. He whispered softly.

“We just heard some oars going past in the fog and there’s a bigger ship approaching - also rowing. I’ve shortened anchor and we can be under way in half a minute.”

Drustina was awake in a flash and signalled silently for the last couple of fathoms of anchor rope to be lifted. Even as the Mermaid fell off from the current, Heliox had set sail and the Mermaid was under way. Drustina warned all her crew.

“Get battle ready, silently. Those are Viking voices and muffle that bloody girl before she realises how close they are.”

Edburg approached the girl and swiftly bound her before stuffing a gag in her mouth and binding her head, then he manacled her to the mast despite her tigerish protests.

The shouts through the fog served to inform Drustina that the Vikings were pursuing something, and it was almost certainly the smaller ship that had passed earlier. She decided to follow the sounds silently by using sail only and thus stay within earshot of the rhythmical splash of the Viking oars.

As they followed the splashing suddenly fell silent and immediately there were Viking roars of victory followed by shouts and them screams as some sort of conflict was engaged.

“All sail boys and look to your swords. I’ve no idea what lies ahead.” Drustina whispered but the men were already preparing for battle and they knew their stuff.

In the bow ten men had already lit fire arrows from Edburg’s cooking stove and they stood poised to strike the moment they could see their target. They did not have to wait long; such was the mermaid’s speed, she appeared out of the fog like some demon of destruction. The Vikings were preoccupied with capturing g the smaller craft and failed to see the mermaid until she was upon them.

Her tough oak stem crunched into the Viking ship’s side and splintered the side planking before the Vikings realised they were being attacked. The violent collision knocked several Vikings off their balance and Drustina’s crew were amongst them immediately after the second salvo of fire arrows had wrought its destruction. The battle was over almost before it had begun. The Viking ship only had a crew of some thirty men and nineteen of them had been disabled by the first two salvoes of fire arrows. The brief fight that followed was short and very violent but Drustina’s crew had the element of surprise and preparation. Within two minutes of first contact the Vikings were all dead or dying.

Within three minutes, the Gaulish survivors from the smaller ship were supplicating themselves before their saviours and it was some time before Drustina could placate them. Indeed at one stage she almost lost her temper as they persisted in thanking her and her crew whilst ignoring Drustina’s desperate attempts to garner any intelligence. Eventually she managed to calm them down and after explaining who she was and who her crew were; she managed to get some sense out of them.

The Gauls had been fleeing the Viking blockade and had used the fog to make their escape. It had almost worked but the treacherous veil of mist had lifted momentarily just as they were passing the picket line and they had been spotted. The Viking picket ship had given chase and the rest Drustina knew. She nodded knowingly and then started to ask further questions about conditions on the river and in the town. As the Gauls described the situation, Drustina had Heliox bring Gisela close enough to listen so she could learn of Viking brutality at second hand. Both men carried old wounds and new bruises from the constant Viking brutality and most of the women told of the inevitable rapes. Finally, Drustina had heard enough and she decided to return to collect Hengis and his shore party. When she intimated this to the fleeing Gauls they were astonished.

“What!!! You have men ashore?”

“A scouting party, that is all. This fog is holding and we should get them back before dark. Do any of you know the river well?”

One of the men declared he was a port warden for Honfleur and Drustina’s eyes lit up with delight.

“By the gods! I couldn’t have found a better guide. What is the name of the headland with the trees and the crumbled cliff?”

The warden shrank back nervously declaring he did not want to return but Drustina brooked no argument..

“You’re coming back with us whether you like it or not. I need your knowledge of the river and that wild wave that nearly sunk us.”

The warden’s eyes widened questioningly.

“The Mascaret? You sailed the Mascaret!!”

“It nearly sunk us, but yes, we met with the monster and eventually tamed it. What is it?”

The warden’s eyes widened as he started to explain.

“You understand Lioness how the sea and the moon ...”

“Yes, the tides, of course I understand that; get on with it man!”

“Well the Mascaret is a creature of the moon and the tides. The trouble is, it is not a reliable creature; it only comes during the spring tides but not every high tide. There is no knowing when it is going to be a big wave but it’s usually when the winds are powerful and the trouble is ...”

Seine mascaret..jpg

Drustina nodded as she acknowledged and finished the sentence.

“The trouble is, the winds are not predictable.”

The warden nodded with satisfaction as he realised the Lioness was a seafarer who knew all about the tides. Once he had convinced himself that the young woman who stood before him was a competent mariner he was much more forthcoming and agreeable. After explaining that the Mascaret became even worse further up the river he agreed to accompany Drustina for one voyage only to recover her four crew.

“The wave is not due for another six hours, we could be in and out before the Vikings realise their comrades have not returned.”

“But what of this fog? How will you know where we are?” The warden wondered.

“We won’t. I’m trusting to you to help us in that area. I’m hoping we are not too far from where we put my men ashore.”

The warden shrugged. From his viewpoint the Mermaid and her crew were working totally blind. Drustina admired his phlegmatism and they made arrangements to rendezvous with the escapees at daybreak. The plan was for the Gaulish ship to sail outwards from the estuary until she reached open water and clear visibility. There she would wait until the Mermaid re-appeared from the fog. If the Mermaid didn’t appear by morning, they were to make their way to somewhere safe; preferably further west towards Charburg or north-west to Ynys Wynn.

“What of the captured Viking ship?” Asked the escapees.

“Remove all the valuable weapons, damage it some more then let it drift. It will look as though they met with disaster from the Mascaret.”

“But it is a valuable ship!” The Gauls protested.

“Who have we to man it?” Drustina countered. “ I have neither the time nor the man-power to make use of her. Besides, she needs repair, that damage to her side will not withstand a heavy sea.“

The Gauls seemed loath to let the ship go but Drustina’s arguments were sound. The damaged Viking ship was more a liability than an asset.

With arrangements settled, the Angry Mermaid made her way south and east towards Honfleur. As they probed cautiously the port warden marvelled at the total silence of the crew. He was even reduced to whispering himself as Drustina stood with him in the bow while the leadsman sounded monotonously. As they inspected the nature of the bottom samples the Warden was surprised with the tactic and its simplicity. When they reached an area of soft black mud the warden surprised himself by being able to identify its location.

“This is where the ships anchor because the bottom provides good holding ground. We are about a mile west of the entrance to Honfleur. The headland you described is about three miles further east but we must cross the picket line of Viking ships.”

Drustina paused thoughtfully then asked.

“When is the next Mascaret due?”

“This evening, before nightfall.”

“And I’m thinking the Vikings will be preoccupied with the wave.”

The warden frowned.

“Well, yes they will; but all ships will be taking refuge. Nobody willingly confronts the wave.”

“Describe it to me; as it passes Honfleur, the sand-banks and suchlike.”

The warden’s eyes widened with fear.

“What do you intend to do?”

“I don’t know yet.”

The warden stood silent as his mind worked feverishly.

“Surely you don’t intend to confront it, willingly?”

Drustina sucked thoughtfully.

“No. I intend to run with it. My ship has met with far worse waves than the Mascaret. Huge Atlantic rollers with breaks higher on their tops than the whole of your Mascaret.”

The warden smirked disbelievingly; he had never travelled further than the outer reaches of the gulf of Normandy, so he had no experience of open ocean sailing. Unable to comment constructively, he returned to the topic he understood and reiterated the dangers associated with the wave.

“But this wave moves so quickly and it’s unpredictable.”

“Are you not forgetting warden, we have met once already with this wave and unprepared at that. I think we can do as I intend and it will take us past the picket line while they are safely tucked up in the harbours.”

The warden shrugged again and Drustina smiled, it was a postural language that she was growing to like. A sort of philosophical resignation that symbolised a seemingly fatalistic acceptance of life no matter what hardships that life brought. He remarked one last time.

“Well, your crew seem confident about the wave so who am I to differ. This is as strange a ship as I’ve ever encountered so I’ll take your word.”

Drustina smiled and nodded to Helios.

“We’ll anchor here in the fog until the time for the wave. Have the oars and sails ready for the time the Warden estimates the wave will arrive. This anchorage is fairly deep so the wave will probably not break much. The danger is on the shallower sand bars.”

The warden nodded agreement; the two of them had same knowledge of bottom effects on waves and the subsequent breaking surf. Drustina turned to the warden and shrugged as Helios set the time candle.

“We might as well get a couple of hours sleep, the gods alone know when we’ll see some again. “
~~oo000oo~~

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Comments

Gisela is starting to show

some respect as well as fear of Drustina. With her battle wisdom, hopefully Drustina has solved another problem.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Yeah, wondering if Gisela

will have a continuing role for a while. She's been a sheltered brat but is learning a little more of the real world. At 14 though in that era I'd still have expected her to be a little more grown up.

The Mascaret is interesting

Where ever is that wave phenomenon? From the size of the crowd, the wave is somewhat predictable. It must be the result of the tide, the moon, and the winds being just right or wrong depending on where you are. I hope you never got caught in it.

Wonderful story, Bev.

Much Love,

Valerie R

Hi Val

Yes, I have actually experienced it several times but never at that point when the Mascaret passes with tremendous ferocity.

I was chief mate upon a tanker belonging to Maersk Line's Liberian fleet called Elphine. We traded twice weekly between Rouen and Rotterdam delivering diesel and Gasolene. It was a very tiring ship because we were constantly navigating the Seine, The English Channel and the Port of Rotterdam non stop. Four loadings and discharges every week and very little sleep plus extra mooring watches when the Mascaret visited as far up as Rouen several times twice a month. Most times in Rouen, the surge had more or less petered out and it was just a swirl around the basin while the ship surged against her lines. However twice I actually encountered that magnitude of wave as we sailed down river and we simply slammed our huge bow into the wave and steamed full ahead to maintain steerage. It was quite spectacular to have water and spray breaking over our tanker foredeck whilst otherwise navigating a calm placid river with beautiful houses on both banks. At the point in the Photograph there is a long bend in the river where the wave gethers in velocity and magnitude and yes, you're right, it used to be a popular viewing point before the Seine estuary was dredged and restrained. Now Sadly the Mascaret is no more except for a feeble reminder of it's once mighty terror. Over 200 ships were lost to it between 1900 and 1980.
One of the many fascinating places I sailed to all over the world in forty years of seafaring.

Thanks for commenting. Bevs. XX

bev_1.jpg

I believe you said...

I believe you said that 40 years was enough. Now two wheels attached to a light weight frame are just your speed. Now your biggest worries are four wheelers and where can you wear those really cute shoes.

Much Love,

Valerie R