Author: Duncan MacDonald
Category: Cook books
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That struck a chord with Culann. He asked the girl "What is your name young Miss?"
"Lasair. It means 'flame'."
"Not named after your blonde hair. "smiled Culann. "Tell me Lasair, why would a young girl be willing to go off alone with two men she has never met before? Aren't you worried."
"I can take care of myself."
"How?"
"With this." Lasair pulled a leather sling shot from her shirt and twirled it twice before making it disappear. "I kill small animals for food."
"Have you ever killed a man with it?" mocked Fergus.
"Not yet." said Lasair, looking straight at Fergus.
"Well then Lasair," said Culann "we accept your gracious offer to guide us. When shall we start?"
"It's dark now." said Vosegus "I will leave and go back to Abernathy. You should wait and leave at first light. You have a difficult trail to follow over the mountain." So saying Vosegus bade farewell to his kins' women, slipped out the door and ran heavily over the gangway, which some of the woman then removed, and disappeared into the night.
Culann and Fergus were given straw sleeping pallets and settled down for the night. Despite the crowded quarters, the continual coughing and murmuring, the pair slept well. With the hearth fire in the middle of the room, it was warm there at least.
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* * * * *
9.4 Lug’s Lookout
Well, well, we have more visitors
Next morning found the youth, the monk and their female guide, well on their way, heading now north west. The wooden hut on the water was soon left behind and they entered lightly wooded undulating country.
Lasair led the way followed by Culann with Fergus bringing up the rear, mumbling from time to time that he hoped no one would ever find out he was being led by a woman.
They stopped briefly at noon to drink from one of the many burns flowing down from the now high hills close by on their left. Lasair explained she was heading for a narrow trail which would save them much time, rather than going further up and following the wider valley.
The next rise in the terrain they came to was covered only in heather and gave a good view of the immediate surrounding countryside. The wind had picked up and was blowing from behind bending the heather. Culann and Fergus almost b umped into Lasair who had stopped suddenly and was peering intently off into the middle of the valley.
"There are men out there." she said quietly pointing ahead and to their right. Neither Culann or Fergus could make out anything.
"I see nothing but scrubland and pine trees." said Culann shading his eyes.
"Female imagination." muttered Fergus also starring in vain.
"There are two groups. They seem to be working together." a long pause, then she added "They are not Picts."
"Your eyes are good lassie. I still can't make them out." said Culann. "Wait, I see movement now, over there," pointing.
"Yes they are spreading out. One group heading north, the other going south. About twenty in total. What are they doing?" said Lasair.
"I think they've seen us." said Culann quietly. "We shouldn't be standing on top of this ridge. They are trying to head us off. How far away is this trail you were talking of?"
"Not very far." pointing to her upper left "But they must know of it also - they are running toward it."
"Can we beat them?" asked Fergus.
"It will be close. Higher up the trail it becomes quite narrow, but in the lower reaches we could never hold off ten or fifteen warriors." Culann looked at Lasair sharply as she spoke. He was surprised this girl was thinking in strategic terms.
"What are our options?" he asked, acknowledging her leadership, at least for now.
Lasair put her finger in her mouth and then held it up in front, gauging the wind direction.
"I think we can distract them. Quickly, down to those line of small trees ahead."
They followed her as she ran ahead, pulling clumps of heather as she went. At the edge of the tree line she bent down and pulled something from her clothing. "I need more heather, quickly." she commanded.
Culann and Fergus gathered each an arm full, returning to find Lasair striking a small flint repeatedly into the clump of heather she had bound up with twigs. Suddenly a small flame erupted from the sparks and Lasair held it aloft.
"Light yours." she ordered and they each thrust their bundle of heather onto hers. She then turned and held the burning faggot among the topmost branches of the smaller pine trees, running from tree to tree about fifty paces. She then ran back igniting the tree branches on the other side. Some flames dropped to the ground and ignited small clumps of dry undergrowth which burnt slowly. However, the pine trees reacted differently. Their needles quickly caught fire and then with increasing speed spread to other tree tops fanned by the brisk wind.
Taking the burning bundles from Culann and Fergus she ignited more small pine trees. Their last glimpse of the warriors ahead showed them halting briefly then turning and running frantically away from the oncoming forest fire.
"Now I know why they call you 'flame'." smiled Culann to Lasair, whose eyes were dancing with excitement.
"Quickly "cried Lasair as she turned and ran behind the billowing smoke and flames. "We have to reach the trail before those Anglos regain their courage and try to head us off."
Culann and Fergus looked at each other, shrugged and followed her in the smoking inferno. The main flames raced well ahead, but patches of still burning heather and small scrub had to be negotiated as they ran forward.
Culann and Fergus followed the lead of Lasair as she pulled her cloak over her mouth and nose. Their eyes still watered from the smoke, but breathing was certainly easier.
Within twenty minutes of running, Lasair paused amid the smoldering clumps of vegetation and large rocks that now littered the immediate landscape. Visibility was still only fifty paces or so. One large rock with strange designs carved on it appeared through the haze. Lasair gave a squeal of delight as she ran toward it.
"This way." she called "Here's the trail." pointing upward.
Fergus stopped suddenly and pointed to a smoldering clump of clothing that caught his attention. "What's this?"
Culann came over and prodded the bundle with his staff. It was a body, badly burnt.
"It would appear one of those Anglo warriors wasn't fast enough to outrun the fire." he mused, looking around for any live specimens that may be lurking nearby. They could see nothing suspicious.
With Lasair beckoning them on, they turned and followed her up a slight ridge that gradually became steeper and merged into the side of a narrower offshoot of the wide main valley.
"Why don't we just go up that smaller valley below?" asked Culann, breathing heavily as he strove to keep up with Lasair. Fergus seemed to be only loping as he brought up the rear.
"Because it ends in a sheer rock face." shouted Lasair "This is the only way over the mountain."
Culann glanced down quickly to the narrow valley below. A few trees were still burning on the valley slopes below of them. The wind pushed the flames up the main valley, which was now below them. Smoke from burning undergrowth hid the valley floor. He could not see if there were any Anglos below.
The trees thinned as they climbed higher. The trail was now only wide enough for two people. On the left above them rose the main shoulder of the mountain, while the right dropped now precariously into the valley below.
"Watch your footing." shouted Lasair who was now reduced to a nimble fast walk. "I don't want to have to stop and pull you out of the valley and back up this mountain."
Culann smiled as he heard Fergus mutter behind him "Mountain, mountain? This is no more than a big hill. I'll show you mountains."
After half an hour more climbing Lasair turned and advised "You can't see much now, but just ahead is a clearing called Lug's Lookout. It is just below the top of the mountain and has a wonderful view right across the country
side to the east."
Turning, she ran quickly up around the next bend and out of sight. Culann and Fergus followed more slowly.
Two more bends and they came to a clearing seemingly cut out of the side of the mountain.
Front and centre was Lasair, arms and legs thrashing frantically against a huge bearded warrior, who was holding her off the ground, one giant hand over her mouth and the other holding a spear.
Eight more Anglo warriors holding spears and shields, stood at his side. The clearing was bound on one side by a steep rock incline dotted with stunted shrubs then trees on up to the summit, and on the other a sheer drop into the valley floor.
"Well, well, we have more visitors." boomed the Anglo leader still clasping the violently struggling Lasair.
Two more of the Angles who had been hiding in a rock cleft moved behind Culann and Fergus, cutting them off.
In the blink of an eye, Fergus ducked between the two warriors' spears and disappeared back down the track, tearing his clothes off as he ran.
"After him!" barked the leader. The two warriors hesitated for a moment and then took off downhill in pursuit.
Culann quietly edged to the high side of the trail and backed up against a Caledonian pine.
Four of the Anglos surrounded the monk. One pointing his spear at Culann's neck. Culann moved his staff ever so slowly so it was about a hand span from the inside of the spear head
The other Angles gathered around him, grinning, while their leader sneered. "We will catch your craven little Pict my friend and bring him back squealing. I want you to see me cut his throat, after you have told us where your treasure is."
Culann remained impassive.
Lasair, still violently struggling, bit the offending hairy hand, freeing her mouth momentarily and screamed "Fergus, you coward. Come back!"
The cursing Angle leader back handed her savagely knocking her to the ground. Wrong move. The girl picked herself up, and in an instant scrambled between his legs, up the bank, into the bushes, out of reach.
The rest of the Anglos surrounded Culann with their spears. Their leader still shaking his now bleeding hand, moved menacingly forward. "Don't worry about that vixen. This monk and his friend are probably the ones who started the fire. Is that so?" gesturing with the uninjured hand, which still held the spear.
Culann remained silent, his back hard against the tree.
"Well my friend we'll soon loosen your tongue like we did with that big fat Pict we caught last night. He squealed plenty before dying. He told us you were heading to this pass with untold treasure. You don't seem to be carrying much treasure to me. Where have you hidden it?"
Staring straight at the leader, Culann said nothing.
"The strong silent type are we? Well we have ways to loosen your tongue." turning to his men "Start a fire."
Two men moved to the edge of the clearing and collected some brushwood. Within a few minutes they had a blaze going with a collection of small sticks from the undergrowth on the high side of the clearing.
* * * *
Fergus sprinted down around the first bend, then, while running, continued discarding his clothes. Cape and blouse were easy. He pulled out his knife and sliced the thongs binding the leather book bag. It fell away. More difficult were his trousers, he had to slow considerably to get them off. Then, kicking off his sandals, he was naked. With one glance over his shoulder to ensure his pursuers were not in sight, he leaped into the bush on the high side of the trail, knife in one hand, sword and scabbard in the other.
He quickly climbed higher up the side of the escarpment, sure footed as ever. He was in his element. Some distance away from the trail he paused, to listen for pursuit. The was no sound. Satisfied, he turned and continued running uphill, twisting, bending, leaping, almost flowing between the trees, large and small. The ground was rocky and at times the stones were covered in moss, he had to slow somewhat, so not to slip or dislodge any. I’ve run steeper hills than this.
Upwards, ever upwards.
* * * *
The Anglo leader indicated with his spear that Culann drop his food sack. With his left hand Culann tossed it on the ground. One of the warriors opened it and shook his head, finding only food and clothing "Nothing here chief." he muttered.
The leader looked back at the two men stoking the fire, "How long till I have something red hot?"
"The wood's green Chief, it will take a little while."
"No matter, we have plenty of time. Sounds like your young Pict is being brought back now, friend."
Culann was measuring his chances against nine Angles, when just then the two pursuing warriors returned. Nine was an outside chance; eleven, no way.
"We couldn't catch him Chief. But he was so scared, he threw off all his clothes as he ran, even his sandals, look." With that they threw Fergus' cloak, trousers sandals and the leather book bag in a heap on the ground, still breathing heavily and laughing.
Culann peered; eyes narrow, but no sword.
"All right. What's in that leather thing?" snarled the leader.
"Just some Christian gobbledygook. You know, writing and stuff - rubbish really."
"Here, keep your spear on this fool while I look." Two of the warriors with spears on Culann moved closer, hoping he would make a move, but he didn't as much as blink.
"Spineless Celtic monks and gutless Pict boys." spat the leader, disappointed. He squatted down next to the pile of clothes and ransacked everything. Some of the codex he tossed over his shoulder oblivious of its priceless value. "That fat Pict told me they had some treasure with them.
Must have hidden it." He looked up at Culann "Well my friend, do you want to tell me where to find it, or do we use the fire sticks to loosen your tongue?"
Culann still stood with his back against the Caledonian Pine, silent, but with a look of loathing on his face.
"Ok my friend, we'll start by burning your clothes off your back" then to his men "Give me one of those fire sticks." His eyes narrowed in anticipation as he reached backward to take the glowing stick.
A man's scream echoed out across the clearing. As they all turned in astonishment, a second blood curdling shriek rang out. The two men nearest the fire were writhing on the ground, the sinews behind their knees sliced through.
A third man dropped as a frenzied, naked, red haired, sword wielding youth, severed his head. A blood red mist filled the air.
Culann in one motion brushed aside the spear at his neck and drove his staff up into the spear holder's jaw with such force, blood, bone, and teeth spewed out in all directions.
Next Culann drove the head of his staff into the solar plexus of the second Anglo who jack-knifed with a whooshing sound, unable to breath, then collapsed as the staff, swung in a short arc, crushed his skull.
The remaining Anglos, totally bewildered at this two-pronged attack, milled in confusion.
The leader still sucking his injured hand stood up and pointed with his spear to a shape that materialized above them on the bank between the trees. But before he could utter any word of warning the stone from Lasair's sling struck him in the face, and he fell backward screaming in pain, dropping his spear as both hands grabbed his now sightless eye.
A collective pause overcame all the combatants. The five remaining Anglos were together, spears at the ready, backing toward the ledge at the edge of the clearing.
Lasair calmly reloaded her sling and aimed a shot at the one nearest Fergus. The Anglo howled in pain as the pellet struck his cheek. He stumbled back, missed his footing and disappeared over the edge, into the valley below. His screams echoing ever more faint.
The rest of the Angles automatically raised their shields to protect their faces. and stepped forward away from the edge.
Fergus dipped low and swept his sword again into the leg of the next nearest warrior who dropped to the ground squealing and grabbing his almost severed limb.
Culann swung his staff in an a
rc and smashed the skull of another, then reaching over his shoulder, his sword made a whistling sound as he drew it from the scabbard under his cloak. Parrying one man's spear with his staff he sliced the arm off with his sword.
Two left. They looked at each other. Their only escape was downhill. They both nodded and charged at Culann with their spears. Culann parried the spear of the nearest one with his staff, and drove his sword into the man's belly, but the second man's spear struck Culann on the chest, below the right shoulder.
The force knocked Culann backwards. He collapsed on the ground, the spear quivering in his body, blood streaming over him, entangled with the dead Anglo.
The surviving Anglo, seeing the path clear, leaped over the bodies of Culann and his fallen comrade, and raced downhill.
Lasair whirled her loaded sling and released the missile at the disappearing figure. It struck his shoulder causing him to stumble, but he quickly regained his footing and disappeared around the first corner. Fergus, buck naked and covered in blood, holding his sword high in both hands and screaming a hideous war cry, swept by in hot pursuit.
Lasair slid down from her vantage point and stood in the centre of the clearing, surrounded by the human carnage. Her shoulders shook and she started to shiver. She turned to find Culann sitting up, pushing the dead Angle from on top of him, and struggling to dislodge the spear from his chest.
"I, . . I, . . I, thought they'd killed you." Lasair stammered.
With a shrug and a final tug, Culann withdrew the spear and flung it away. "They killed one of the codex " He grunted, pulling the thick damaged book from its pouch on the leather book bag. The spear blade had gone right through the book and had just penetrated his chest through his habit, causing some slight bleeding. But this was not immediately noticeable as the Anglo, with his belly sliced open, had bled copiously over them both.
Culann stood up gingerly, pushed the lifeless form to one side, and withdrew his sword from the man's body. He looked over at Lasair, arms hanging by her side, shaking uncontrollably." There, there, my brave young girl" he said as he moved quickly and put his arms around the girl as shock set in. "It's all over now."
She buried her face in his chest ignoring the bloody robes and cried "What's become of Fergus?"