Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:38:44 +0200 (CEST) From: ARTFITZ Subject: The Druid Chapter 5 The small party moved out of the fort towards the river crossing, the family of the O' Rourke waved goodbye from the river gate and turned to enter the rath. The druid turned his head to give them a druidic blessing and turned forward again to look at the two warriors who sat their steeds like good horsemen born in the saddle. They both had their rounded shields slung over their backs and their muscular legs hung down on either side of their horses. They sat on fur saddles and had a pack on their animals hind quarters. The Lordly Shannon river flowed in front of them and the ferry men were waiting for the precious cargo. No doubt they were well warned to be extra careful with this group. There were several merchants waiting with their pack donkeys loaded for the crossing and lots of girls carrying baskets of mead and eggs for trading on the other side. The ferry men were ruddy sorts, very strong armed from pulling the ropes and punting the flat wooden ferry boat over many years. They were dressed as plainly as most lower class tribes me were. The dress code allowed only one colour for these men. All slaves and even freemen born who did not belong to either the warrior class or the noble callings such as druids, bards, Ollamhs(teachers) were obliged to wear plain one coloured garments. As ones social position grew more colours could be added until you reached the place of the Ard Ri or High King who wore Gold and several colours in his rich clothing. The druid settled down for the crossing looking vaguely into the depths of the river. He spotted the salmon and trout teaming underneath the bark. The river weeds green flowing like bright green fairy hair on the bottom of the clear waters. The merchants were discussing their trades making comments about their reception in this or that kingdom, some being quite brutal in their description of the lords and families involved. The crime of meanness was the ultimate criticism followed by the quality of the food and accommodations made available. The Druid ignored this as the two warriors joked and played around with the ferrymen commenting on their huge muscles and lean bodies. The O'Rourke warrior was called Turloch and had an great smile, when he laughed his head dropped back and his open mouth revealed even white teeth and a beautiful long neck under his short trimmed beard. The hair on his large chest reaching up to his beard in a dark line. He was certainly the Hero of the tribe and the most hardy handsome man of the O'Rourke family. His kilted brat showed his huge chest and shoulders and his flat muscled stomach to perfection. His long tanned legs were finer than most and reached down to a fine pair of solid feet. His overall bearing was charm itself and the ladies of all ages on the bark were looking from one warrior to the other trying to picture them in action between their eager hips. The atmosphere on the transport was jolly and the journey took no time at all. The group waved goodbye to the merchants and the ferry men with blessing salutations and made their way slowly up the bank of the river towards the road west. The threesome moved gingerly on the backs of the ponies, small but solid horses of the Connemara type. The druid sat atop his shocking white steed with a mane flowing like his own white beard and hair. In the summer sunshine he was all white on a white horse and looked like a vision holding his drudical staff in one hand and the reins of the horse in the other. He was a splendid aristocratic man full of charm which was not lost on the champion of the O'Rourkes or the people who bowed low as they moved past. The evening light was dying behind the western mountains as the road opened out into a clearing and the Rath of Queen Maeve came into sight. The beauty of the simple construction was stunning and the coloured flags flying over the stout wooden palisade added to the effect. The gate was studded with the skulls of the enemy warriors killed or taken in battle and beheaded as a warning to other not to flout this wild Irish Queens authority. She had divorced three husbands and killed two more and was a formidable warrior in her own right. She led her army from the front and had a troop of Amazon style warriors. The local chieftains and other sub-kings and princes would not dream of making comment on the court of Queen Maeve. They guarded their silence and kept their heads down and obeyed. For Irishmen that in itself was a miracle. The druid and his guard approached the fort, the guards made a sign and asked formally who was requesting entrance to the queen fort at this late hour. One said to the other quietly, 'They are lucky, another few seconds and the gates would be closed and the great hounds released to guard the exterior of the fort from intrusion'. Many a poor bastard was eaten alive by the fierce hounds of Queen Maeve, 'in the wrong place at the wrong time'. They pulled themselves straighter as they noticed the importance of the visitors. 'Shit' said the senior man, 'Go quickly to the queens steward and tell him that a grand Druid and a warrior of Leinster have arrived with an escort carrying the colours of the O'Rourke. Rumour had already reached them that a delegation from Leinster was heading for the King of Connaughts Rath. The steward fumbled and rumbled and eventually went to the queen's apartments where he found the beautiful warrior queen in the arms of her female lover and two young warriors. He bowed and explained the situation. The queen moved slowly like a tiger and pushing the girl and the warriors to one side stood naked, her long limbed body covered in battle scars. Her long raven black hair was hanging loosely around her shoulders and half covering her robust, rounded, red nippled breasts. There were several grey hairs becoming visible but her white skin was as translucent as that of the druids. She had had seven children but showed no signs of battle fatigue on that count. Her hips were full but firm and her belly rounded but also quite firm for a woman of 60. Her servant rushed to cover her and dress her as she help out her arms. She was clothed in a gossamer gown and a jewelled waistcoat which showed her breasts to perfection. A ceremonial collar of gold place around her neck and several heavy gold anklets and bracelets put in place to complete the beautiful picture. She moved forward, tall, dignified, full of powerful movements. The steward bowed to let her pass and followed in her wake. The two guardians of the doorway followed the man who followed the Royal Woman. She moved onto the battlements and greeted the group in the standard way offering them hospitality and they moved into the enclosure. As they moved inwards a group of huge baking hounds were released into the area between the palisade and the first trench of the fortifications. Once the gates closed the noise from the hounds diminished. The Druid dismounted rubbing his backside and stretching. He was not as used to travelling on horseback but on the ceremonious chariot pulled by two bulls, slower but more comfortable. The warriors were taken by the steward to the barracks of Queen Maeve where they were greeted by thirty pairs of inquisitive eyes that seemed to undress them both, going from one to the other with glee. Barrack games today would be strange because the whole troop were girls of great stature and beauty as well as force. The steward had brought instructions from the Queen .. the whole troop was to be covered by both men today and tonight in the hope that some would bear children of great physical beauty and stature and thus improve the breeding stock of the family. Both boys were quite beautiful and the task would not be a great problem for the girls. The boys were licking their lips already. A change is as good as a rest Stefan thought to himself rubbing his sore arse and feeling his cock nudge upwards as he looked at the toned muscular girls some of whom had the beauty of boys. He had lots of experience with the girls in the court of the King of Leinster. The palace was often the scene of wild orgies when the imported wine got the better of the men and the women. The men were lead into a fur covered room decorated with arms, shields and swords of al shapes and sizes. It was also full of trophies of war including the dried skulls of the enemy and their weapons. There the girls plied the men with a concoction which was made of distilled plants and wine and mead. The result was that the two men sustained painfully hard erections which the girls started to take advantage of immediately. One by one they milked the two warriors until they were bone dry. They then fed them huge hunks of beef and wild game and more of the liquid enhancer. The men were sweating profusely as the troop of female warriors strained and shouted while they rode them wildly. The process was repeated for the next two hours, each warrior exchanging her man stallion at will. By night time the two men slept profoundly watched by the girls who still hungry for their bodies kept vigil. The men would be nudged into action as soon as they were sufficiently rested and the girls were impatient to restart the activity ordered on them so kindly by their Queen.