The Angry Mermaid 123 or Y Morforwyn Dicllon 123

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The Angry mermaid 123
or,

Y Morforwyn Dicllon 123

The battle at the mine!

Drustina ends up holed up in a mine as she fights to defend her band of survivors.

The Angry Mermaid 123

or

Y Morforwyn Dicllon 123.

Frodsham 2.jpg

This the sandstone ridge where she would have made her stand. (The mine is fictional!)

Frodsham 5.jpg

The view from the mine entrance looking towards 'The Mersea.'

Readers are advised to Google Frodsham or Runcorn on Google Earth to see how and where the River Weaver enters the Mersey and how far the Wesver is Navigable inland towards Frod.

The Angry Mermaid 123
Or
Y Morforwyn Dicllon 123

Drustina and her band were now reduced by two more injured companions; she only had ten warriors and herself. When they re-entered the forest they attempted to cover their tracks but it was a futile task, the evidence of their brief skirmish was for all to see in the thicketed clearing. They hid the Viking bodies but the hoof-marks of the knight’s horse were clear for all to see and they didn’t have time to fill in the divots. Instead they hurried back to their cave and waited for events to unfurl.
To their mild surprise darkness fell without an appearance of their Viking hunters and they settled down to a nervous night without any of them sleeping properly. Clouds covered the moon and stars so it was almost impossible to see in the pitch black forest. Fortunately, that darkness also precluded a Viking assault up the rocky cliff.

As dawn started to break the band were whispering amongst themselves.

“D’you think the horseman got back to King Edrinor?” Gisela asked the Lioness.

“If he didn’t, we going to have a pretty rough ride.”

“You mean ...”

“Yes, we’ll die fighting.” Drustina replied bluntly to avoid any more speculation; then she added. “They outnumber us by nearly twenty to one. We’re going to have to marshal our arrows and not waste them. No wild extravagant volleys, every arrow must count.”

“What about our swords?”

“If it comes to swordplay then it means our defences have failed. It means they have penetrated our main defence line that is the killing ground at the top of the ledge. As long as we can hold them off as they try to scramble over the ledge then we have the edge. If they lay claim to that patch in front of the cave it’s still to our advantage because we’ll be firing arrows from the blackness into the light where they’ll be silhouetted. If they manage to enter the cave then it’s hand to hand fighting and that means our defences have effectively failed. At odds of twenty against one they will easily overwhelm us.”

Drustina’s tone made it clear she wanted to talk no more. The sun had risen and the Vikings could be heard moving through the woods at the foot of the ledge.

“Get ready.” Drustina advised un-necessarily for everybody knew the odds.

~o00o~

Drustina’s band had prepared their defence well; when the first face appeared over the edge of the ledge, its owner was despatched quickly by the Lioness herself. Her ploy was that she would pick off the initial attackers because her individual accuracy would give the Vikings a distorted idea of the effectiveness of the Celtic archers. By this arrangement the first five, cautious Vikings were picked off even as their faces appeared. Consequently, there was a brief lull in that initial attack as the Viking’s retired to reconsider their plan.

The lull lasted nearly an hour partly because Drustina had sneaked forward to modify one of the small buttresses they had built while preparing their last stand. A waist high buttress of large stones needed repositioning to force any attackers to expose themselves for a few seconds longer and thus make easier targets. She sneaked across the killing zone to check that there were no Vikings on the high cliff above the cave then she motioned to some of the men to come and help her re-arrange the crudely assembled bastion. When it was rebuilt to her satisfaction she peeped over the ledge and noted that a couple of the attackers had inadvertently exposed themselves.


‘They need a lesson,
’ she told herself as she lay behind the reformed bastion.

She motioned to Cedric, her second best marksman, and explained her plan. He nodded fulsomely then they both took careful aim and fired together. Cedric had the satisfaction of seeing his arrow pierce the Viking’s neck but Drustina’s arrow only pierced the other man’s thigh because he chose that moment to move. Nevertheless it was a satisfactory strike for the man would have serious problems climbing the escarpment with his injured leg. The additional advantage was that the thickets shook with disturbance as the attackers took a few steps back to get out of range.

Recovering those yards would cost more Viking lives and more time which gave Drustina’s band hope that Edrinor’s troops would arrive in time. The two marksmen decided to stay out front at the bastions until they were forced to join the others closer to or even inside the mine.

Eventually the Vikings started their second attack so Drustina and Cedric were kept busy for fully thirty minutes before being forced to retreat away from the exposed ledge and back towards the mine. At the last opportunity Drustina and Cedric took a good look towards the east but there was no sign of any Mercian horsemen. As they rejoined their companions at the mine entrance, they had little news but once again, the Vikings had paused to reconsider their attack.

“It looks as though our Mercian horseman might not have made it,” Drustina admitted, “we didn’t see any sign of approaching horsemen and this looks like our last stand.”

A resigned silence settled on the band as they redoubled the efforts to strengthen their defences by reinforcing the obstructive bastions at the mine entrance and adding to their stock of stones from the spoil tips inside the mine. By the time the attacking Vikings arrived at the foot of the escarpment for the third time, the ammunition dump of largish stones was well stocked.

The moment the Vikings started to ascend the steep sandstone ledge, a bombardment of stones started to fall like rain and the extra shields they had brought to form a turtle served them poorly. A forty pound stone dropping fifty feet gathers enough force to break a man’s shield arm as well as the shield he is holding. Another two score of Vikings lay dead or injured at the foot of the cliff and Drustina estimated they had reduced the attackers to possibly one hundred and fifty men. So far only two attackers had made it over the edge of the ledge and they lay wounded from arrow strikes.

“We seem to be holding,” Gisela panted as she hurled another stone blindly over the edge.

“Once they find a way to climb above the entrance and shoot down at the parapet, we’ll be forced to hole up in the mine.”

“Why don’t we put our own men up there?”

“We spread our perimeter too thin and we cannot concentrate our fire power when they’ve managed to get over the ledge and organise a charge. The cave entrance will force them to squeeze into a narrow column and their numbers will not benefit them.”

“So we end up stuck in the bloody mine.” Gisela cursed.

“But still alive,” Edburg the cook finished, “and hopefully, that horseman made it back to Edrinor.”

Gisela pulled a wry smile and fell silent as Drustina warned everybody.

“Sounds as if they are trying their next assault, get ready!”

To a man everybody crept forward with two or more heavy stones and lobbed them just clear of the parapet edge. Several arrows whistled close overhead but nobody was hit. Fortunately the Vikings had few archers for they tended to rely on heavy spears initially then sword fighting at close quarters. The problem was that they were well hidden in the thickets and difficult to spot whilst Drustina’s men had to expose themselves on the edge of the parapet and they were too vulnerable. After the second deluge of rocks, the Celts formed a chain-gang while two men held up shields to protect the stone throwers. The system only worked partially because there were far more men climbing than stones dropping and the Vikings were making progress. Drustina and Cedric secreted themselves behind the artificial bastions while the others retreated to the mine entrance ready to give the pair covering fire when they were forced to retreat into the mine.

As the Vikings finally appeared above the parapet, Drustina and Cedric each took aim and released a score of deadly arrows that accounted for another fifteen or so as they reared backwards with arrows sticking out of their faces. When they looked like being overwhelmed they signalled to the others in the mine mouth to offer covering fire then they plunged into the gloomy shadow of the mine entrance.

A few yards inside the mine both Cedric and Drustina stumbled over a tripwire and recovered only to hear Gisela telling Edgar.

“There, I told you it would work, all we’d have to do now if they were Vikings is kill them,”

Cedric cursed them for he had hurt his arm as he fell and Drustina had fared little better.

“You stupid buggers! It didn’t need a demonstration!”

The pair scrambled to their feet each nursing their bruises.

“I nearly broke my bow!” Drustina added angrily. “Think before you do something like that. Neither of us were accustomed to the gloom.”

“Shit! Sorry.” Gisela apologised as Edgar reached out to guide them to safety.

Cedric sat rubbing his arm while Drustina tested her injured wrist. She cursed but the wrist was not broken, fortunately it was her less favoured hand so she still had sword fighting abilities. Firing a bow however, would be difficult for the rest of the day.
As they sat nursing their hurts the Vikings had finally captured the parapet and they were clamouring to enter the mine.

Drustina’s reasoning had been right about the narrow space. The Celtic archers had secreted themselves in every possible cranny and it was impossible for more than three Vikings to enter at once. It soon became apparent that even with their shields they were too vulnerable to conquer the tiny band. The Vikings simply could not surmount the deadly subterranean ambush.

Only two of their strongest warriors managed to get more than thirty feet into the cave and they eventually succumbed to a combination of arrows and sword strikes for their eyes had not yet accustomed to the dark. After a dozen attempts, the Vikings gave up, it was impossible to winkle the Celtic limpet out of its shell.

In the late afternoon Drustina’s band were getting hungry. The mine had water trickling from a spring deeper in the mountain so thirst was no problem but their stomachs were beginning to rumble. Drustina did not suggest eating the dead Vikings for their hunger pangs were not yet grievous. Nor did she mention the time when she had resorted to cannibalism in Iberia when still a young boy. Eventually darkness came.

Drustina’s band had not known what to expect from the Vikings during the night for it all depended upon the weather. Fortunately the broken rushing clouds caused the moon to come and go too rapidly for the Vikings to approach the mine entrance with certainty. The Viking’s first attempt coincided with the sudden appearance of the moon from behind a cloud and two of the attackers were cruelly silhouetted as arrows immediately erupted from the stygian depths of the mine. Their dying curses were cause for pause by the remaining Vikings who moved out of the firing line.

There were to be no more attacks but the Celts were not to know this and they spent a tiring night as some tried to catch a few moments of sleep between false alarms.

~o00o~

As dawn approached Drustina decided to risk a signal arrow in case Edrinor’s horsemen were about. But to fire it high she was forced to creep closer to the mine entrance to elevate her bow. She knew the risks for when she lit the green flame she was certain to make a target for the Viking archers. Cedric and another Celt covered themselves in mud and crept towards the entrance to spy out the terrace. It seemed the Archers were not immediately covering the entrance and Drustina gambled that she could get away with her audacious plan. She crept behind one of the buttresses at the mine entrance and prepared to fire a single arrow, an illuminated arrow that would reveal her location to the Vikings. The need to contact Edrinor’s horsemen outweighed any risk to the Lioness.

Drustina knew the risks better than anybody; her action would invite a score of Viking arrows if she was not quick to ignite, draw and release her vital signal in a couple of seconds.

“Wish me luck,” she whispered to Cedric who had ignited a small candle ready to throw the ignited arrow across the mine entrance for Drustina to hopefully catch, nock and fire in one smooth action.

She watched from her hidden corner as Cedric bent behind the opposite buttress and cautiously prepared the arrow, He turned and whispered “are you ready?”

“Yes.”

The arrow ignited in his hand and he carefully held it by both ends as he tossed it across. His aim was true and Drustina managed to catch it by the back of the shaft then quickly nock it into her bow whilst she was still crouched behind the buttress. The next part was the dangerous bit. She drew her bow quickly and rolled onto her back to lie flat on the floor to discharge the flaming arrow as close to the lintel beam of the mine entrance as possible. Thus she could to gain as steep an angle as was possible. She did not even have time to watch its flight for she had to recover her hidden position immediately.

She cursed as an arrow whistled past her face and breasts as she tried to squirm on her back but the ground proved too muddy and her ankles were skidding as she tried to propel herself. Her curse warned the others that she was having difficulty and suddenly there was a clank as a bronze shield landed beside her and caught her on the shoulder as it rolled.

“Ouch! Dammit! That hurt.”

“Shut up and use it!” Came the reply from the shadows.”

Drustina recognised Gisela’s voice and immediately grasped the idea, namely to hold the shield upright to protect her prostrate body as she rolled back behind the buttress. She positioned the shield then to her surprise she felt a noose land lazily on her feet.

“What the f—k are you doing you silly bitch!?” She cursed as the arrows started to clang and rattle against the shield.

“Stay rigid, we’ll drag you back into the mine!” Gisela replied. “Try and get the noose around your feet!”

Drustina wiggled her feet until she had both feet in the noose then she whispered urgently.

“Pull me now!”

The noose tightened around her feet and Drustina suddenly felt herself being dragged along the muddy floor of the entrance as she struggled to keep hold of her bow and hold the shield upright. The arrows continued to whizz past her or clatter against the shield but, to her amazement, the move worked and within seconds she was dragged on her back, muddy and bruised to safety. Once she was safe and out of sight of the Vikings she sat up and rubbed her arse.

“That hurt!”

“Less pain than an arrow wound though!” Gisela giggled.

“Bitch!” Drustina snorted. “Thanks though; now what about Cedric, he’s still stuck out there.

“He’ll be easier, he’s behind the buttress and he can make a proper job of sliding on a long shield like a sledge.”

Without waiting for any objection, Gisela flung the rope to Cedric but it fell short. Her second effort succeeded and Drustina watched fascinated as Gisela tied a pair of shields to the rope before explaining to Drustina.

“He can use the long shield as a sledge and the round shield to protect himself. The mud makes it nice and slippery.”

Drustina nodded with approval.

“Go on, I’m impressed!”

They watched as Cedric attached one foot to the rope then looped the rope through the long shield handle to secure the ‘sledge’ for towing as he lay on his back and placed the round shield over his head. He signalled to be towed and crouched into a tiny ball as more arrows started to pepper the shield. The plan worked even better and Cedric returned to their ranks none the worse for his bumpy ride.

He grinned at Drustina as he wrapped his arm around Gisela.

“Clever princess isn’t she.”

“Yes. Very!” Drustina concurred.

Then to their relief they heard a signal horn blowing faintly from beyond the cliff. Drustina turned to Gisela and confirmed her own thoughts.

“That didn’t sound like a Norse horn.”

“No, Viking horns are deeper. That sounded like a brass horn. Besides, I haven’t heard a Viking horn throughout this fight. I don’t think they’ve got a horn. And surely it’s no coincidence that the horn sounded immediately after your signal arrow.”

Drustina nodded and added.

“Well something is certainly happening beyond the parapet. That horn is quite far away.”

They listened in silence as everybody strained their ears and sighs of relief whispered around the group as the faint sound was heard again.

Their suspicions were soon reinforced when Edgar peeped around his niche and observed.

“The Vikings seem to be leaving.”

Drustina joined him and nodded.

“We’ll wait a bit; it may be a trap to lure us out. That said; do I have any volunteers to go back behind our buttresses and keep a better lookout.”

The words had hardly left her lips when two of her warriors sprinted wildly from their safe location and flung themselves behind the cover of the two stone pillars. Drustina smiled as they called for shields and got them. She called to them.

“Try and see what you can but don’t be careless!”

~o00o~

As the two volunteers took occasional risks to stick their heads beyond the buttresses, the rest of Drustina’s band took an opportunity to relax. Eventually one of the volunteers got impatient and took the bull by the horns. He checked to make sure Drustina was not watching then he ventured cautiously into full view whilst crouching behind a long shield.

“No arrows came and he became a little bolder until he had actually ventured right up to the mine entrance. Still no arrows came so he stepped sideways into a narrow fissure in the rock and took stock. He called back inside the cave and alerted the rest. Drustina was woken and came to assess the situation. She crept up to the buttress and spoke to the volunteer.

“Well done lad, what can you see?”

“I don’t see anybody guarding the parapet but I can’t see up on the cliff overlooking it. If I step outside they might be behind me overlooking the parapet. “

“I’m going to ask you to fire another signal arrow ... green smoke okay?”
The volunteer nodded and Drustina tossed the unlit arrow to him. Then she pushed a small candle pot across the ground to provide him with fire. She watched with satisfaction as he took aim and fired the arrow high into the air. The thick arc of emerald green smoke was clear for all to see. If Edrinor’s horsemen were nearby they could not fail to spot it. A wave of relieved satisfaction rippled through the band as two rapid horn blasts sounded clearly to announce the horsemen’s arrival. The lookout turned to the Lioness.

“D’you want me to have a look?”

“Not alone lad, you’ve proven your worth. We’ll form a turtle and make a dash for the redoubts we built on the edge of the cliff. I don’t see any Vikings in them.”

A turtle was quickly formed and several men surrounded Drustina as she walked backwards out of the mine with her bow ready to fire back at any Vikings overlooking the turtle from the cliff above. To her silent relief she saw nobody and no arrows were fired.
They arrived at the vacated redoubts and concluded that the Vikings had truly abandoned the site. A glance over the parapet edge eventually told them why. Not only where Edrinor’s horseman down below but also a substantial section of his foot soldiers. It was no wonder the Vikings had run.

As she searched the thickets for signs of any Vikings she finally saw a few scattered groups desperately making for the river and their ships. For the Vikings it was a rout because they were outnumbered by many, Mercian troops. Drustina actually began to feel sorry for the fleeing men as they were spotted and run down by the horsemen. By now her warriors had disbanded their turtle and they were searching the overlooking cliff for any combatants. None were found and the Celts finally determined that they were safe. They fired a pair of green smoke signal arrows and Drustina stood in clear view waving to the Mercian commander. He waved back and Drustina slumped with relief. The skirmish was over.

When they finally met at the foot of the escarpment, Drustina grinned with relief.

“What kept you?”

The commander grinned back.

“The foot soldiers ma-am. Unfortunately they cannot travel as fast as us but we could not risk entering these thickets and that forest without infantry escort.”

“Well you’re a welcome sight commander so what of King Edrinor?”

“He marches to the south of the escarpment and hopes to make Chester by nightfall or tomorrow morning.”

“Thank the gods for that. Can you take me to him? I’ll need a horse.”

“There are several going spare ma-am. Those Vikings gave a good account of themselves. I have lost a dozen riders.”

Drustina nodded significantly as she concurred.

“Indeed they did commander. Defeating Harald Cold-blood will not be easy.”

Having cleared the area of the enemy the mounted commander divided his horsemen between an escort to accompany the Celts to Chester
while he remained with the bulk of his riders and his foot-soldiers to follow on behind.

~oo000oo~

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Comments

Good to see the battles proceeding

And Drustina's strategies working out for the most part.

Gisela is proving to be a real asset. Hope she can survive to the end and confront her father.

Enjoying all the maps and pictures.