Gareth Ogilvie The Great Sea King

by J W Murison

‘You will get lost again.’

  ‘I'm not lost; I'm just taking a look around.’ The boy opened his mouth but quickly closed it again. ‘Then I will have to bring William to me, how far are we from his home?’

  ‘About three miles sir.’

  ‘Fuck,’ Malcolm cursed.

  ‘We need to get within a half mile, you up for a walk.’

  ‘I'm very tired sir.’

  ‘I’ll carry you then. Is a half mile a safe enough distance for you?’

  ‘Yes sir, it should be, what are you going to do?’

  Malcolm barked a laugh, ‘you'll see boy, come.’

  The prince took the offered hand and swung up onto Malcolm’s back. He guided Malcolm back towards William’s bakery. Once Malcolm was aware of his surroundings again he kicked in the door of an unoccupied building. It began to regenerate immediately.

  ‘I want you to stay here.’ He searched under his plaid and from it took a hard leather bag that seemed to be slung over his shoulder. He opened the bag to reveal a conical piece of bone. When he removed it Vaary realised it was many pieces of bone all sat inside the first. Malcolm began to fit the pieces together until he had a curved horn.

  ‘What are you going to do with that Sir Malcolm?’

  ‘I'm going to raise the Clan to arms boy. You stay here and keep your head down. I will return later.’

  Malcolm made his way to the drinking house he was at the night before. He stood outside and blew the war horn. Its notes rose into the air and filled it with menace. It wasn’t long before armed Highlanders began to spill out of buildings. Malcolm addressed each man and sent him away. William appeared with sword in hand and fire in his eyes. Malcolm quickly filled him in on what was happening.

  ‘Don’t tell your bloody wife,’ Malcolm snarled. ‘Tell her I was just drunk and believe that in your mind.’

  William nodded, ‘don’t worry I've got the hang of it, she won’t find out until it’s too late.’

  ‘Your house is probably being watched so be careful this night. When the sun rises tomorrow I will blow the horn again and we will assemble then.’ When no more turned up Malcolm slipped away into the night. He found the boy shivering and located a blanket in the house to wrap him in. Warmth and reassurance helped the boy fall asleep. Malcolm became aware of movement in the streets outside. Wrapping the sleeping boy in his plaid he hoisted him on to his back and left the building. He spent the rest of the night slipping through the shadows. Eventually he found himself back at the first house they broke into and Malcolm was able to grab a few hours’ sleep.

  An hour before dawn he was awoken by the sound of shuffling feet he launched himself to his feet just in time as a man transformed to an Eagle and lunged at him. Malcolm’s axe trust spitted the Eagles chest ripping through its heart. His scream woke the boy.

  ‘Know him,’ Malcolm asked as he cleaned his blade.

  ‘One of my brother’s, one of the younger ones.’

  ‘We had better leave he will have alerted others, climb on board.’

  Malcolm left the dead Eagle and ran through the streets, ‘hope you know where we are lad, we need to get back to where we were last night.’

  ‘Turn left here Sir Malcolm. How did we get back there?’

  ‘I carried you when you were asleep. I thought it wise.’

  ‘They still found us.’

  ‘Did you hear any of his thoughts before he died?’

  ‘The only thing I heard were the words, he is here.’

  ‘Then we are still ahead of the game boy.’

  Malcolm ran through the streets. Every now and then he stopped and listened for running feet. In his hand he carried his axe the blade uncovered. On his left arm his Targe. By the edge of dawn he was once more near the place where his Clan’s men would gather. Footsteps revealed a tartan clad man with a spear in his hand heading for the meeting place.

  Malcolm stepped out of the darkness and the man stopped and peered, ‘Malcolm Grant is it?’

  ‘Aye that it is, and yourself?’

  ‘Struan of Brodie, I heard the call and received word of the gathering.’

  Malcolm nodded, ‘I've heard of you and your welcome.’

  He took his position on Malcolm’s right as the day began to lighten. Both men were of a similar age and build, large brooding and dangerous. They reached the edge of the small square and of the same mind slipped in to the shadows and watched for a while. When it was light enough Malcolm walked to the edge of the square and took out the horn. He blew the gathering and men began to tumble from the shadows. Soon the small square was full of tartan-clad men, those of the Grant Clan stood to the fore as was their right.

  Malcolm stood on a stone bench, ‘Highland men, today I right a grievance directed at a member of my Clan,’ he reached out a hand and the young prince jumped up beside him. ‘This is Prince Vaary, related to us through marriage, he is also the only full bloodied prince of this city and of its King and Queen making him the legitimate whatever the fuck it is to the throne.’

  There was a roar of laughter and Malcolm smiled letting it subside, ‘aye, I don’t really know what he is or care, nor do any of you I'm sure, but he is blood and last night his bastard half brothers tried to kill the wee mite.’ He spun the lad round and lifted his shirt. All could see the gash in the boy’s side. There was a rumble of disapproval.

  ‘Aye ye see it don’t ye, a knife to the back and a sword in the guts, well I for one will no stand by and watch a bunch of thieving murdering bastards get away with trying to kill one of my family. I'm heading up to that palace now and I'm going to kill every one of those bastards and any other fucker that gets in my way. I expect every Grant here to follow me, as for the rest of ye, I’ll leave that to your own conscience.’ He raised the axe high and there was a roar of approval.

  Malcolm took the road and found Struan of Brodie walking by his side with a wide grin on his face, ‘you know Malcolm I've heard a lot of men speak in my time, some good and some bloody awful.’ He barked a laugh, ‘but this is the first time I've met a man who hadn’t a clue what he was talking about and still raise an army to defend god knows what.’

  Malcolm roared with laughter, ‘aye well I've never been one for words, especially when there's a fight in the offering.’

  High above on a flat roof top Nathan, Natina’s brother was up early to catch the morning’s first thermals. As soon as the war was over he returned to the Eagle city and did very little of anything. He had no rider and didn't want one. He avoided his old comrades but felt no shame for what he had done in the past. He ate slept and chased the serving girls in the taverns at nights. He drank his fill of anything that was going and had even gotten into a few fistfights with the Highlanders which normally ended up with him unconscious and in the gutter. He held no grudge thought and often sought out the company of these rough Highland men when he was in the mind of a good drink or a good fight.

  The one thing he loved to do was catch the morning thermals. More often than not he was the first into the air every day and rode higher than anyone else even dared. He had lost count of the amount of times he had lost consciousness and near plunged to his death, he had found it impossible to explain the thrill of it to anyone.

  His eyes picked out the crowd as it moved towards the palace. He couldn’t see the colour of the tartans but knew it was Highlanders. His war senses came sprang to life and his mind sought those of his own below. The reply he got was almost a physical blow to his mind. ‘I am Prince Vaary the last surviving son of both our sovereigns. Last night my half brothers tried to kill me. Today I lead an army of friends to hunt them down and kill them. Find my father; he is with Gareth Ogilvie at the palace of the great sea King. Tell him what is happening and to return immediately with his soldiers.’

  ‘Yes my Prince,’ Nathan answered in the same manner; and with the compulsion to do as bid by their royalty he dove for the nearest flowing water. Before the Highlanders had turned the street corner Nathans claws had to
uched the water and he was gone. He reappeared almost instantly in a land that was still shrouded in darkness. He had no idea where he was other than he was close to the great city of the sea King. He took to the wing and rose high. It didn't take him long to spot the city lights and turn towards it. He came in, in a shallow dive his mind searching for the King. Instead he found a member of the Eagle guard. He transmitted his message from the boy and by the time he landed the King was already up. The King touched his face and extracted the exact moment from the younger man’s mind.

  ‘Thank you, return with a message for my son. Tell him I am on my way.’

  By the time Nathan returned the sun was fully formed above the horizon. He searched with his mind and found the recipient. He passed the message. The young King released him and Nathan flew to the tallest building and took a good look around. A few others had begun to show up and he knew what they were waiting for. He launched himself into the air and soared upwards, the doings of men and Kings left to those who cared.

  CHAPTER 12

  It only took a single order from the young prince and a quick word from Malcolm and the Highland guard joined them in hunting down the prince’s half brothers. However the brothers still had the command of the Eagles in the palace and forced them to fight, it was a slaughter. Where they had the chance many of the Highlanders used furnishings and curtains or blankets to subdue fighting Eagles. If the prince got near them he was on occasion able to overrule the orders of his brother’s and a life was saved. As more of the half bloods died then the quicker the others were subdued, it wasn’t until the King arrived with his forces that the royal guard that were left turned on their former masters and the fight was over within a few minutes.

  The King made his way through his palace his eyes wide at the devastation wrought. Blood ran freely through the open halls. Here and there frightened servants peeked from previously locked rooms. He found Malcolm and the young prince in the throne room waiting for him. Malcolm was covered in feathers and blood and was in the process of trying to blow off a bloody feather that had become stuck on his nose. He had obviously been in the thick of it.

  He bent over, ‘get this bloody thing off my nose lad.’

  The laughing prince complied, ‘you look bloody silly Sir Malcolm.’ His eyes swivelled towards his father who was marching into the room, he froze as his father’s words boomed in his head.

  ‘Is that appropriate Vaary?’

  ‘It was a feather from a split pillow father.’

  His father stopped dead and closed his eyes, ‘I'm sorry Vaary, what happened?’ His son opened is mind and the Eagle King searched his memories. Malcolm watched the Eagle King warily and his soldiers. When he opened them he turned to Malcolm, ‘I owe you a great debt of gratitude. Tell me are any of my sons still alive.’

  Malcolm shrugged, ‘there might be, but none that I have seen. Someone said they saw a few Eagles fly away, but whether they were your sons or not I have no idea.’

  ‘Would you help me gather the dead so I can identify them?’

  ‘Can do,’ Malcolm hesitated.

  The King half smiled, ‘have no fears he is safe now.’

  ‘Right, stay close to your father boy.’

  ‘Thank you Sir Malcolm.’

  ‘No need to thank me boy, your family.’ Malcolm left the chamber roaring out orders.

  ‘Were you hurt badly?’ The King asked.

  Vary showed his father the sword cut in his side, ‘it’s quite deep, you are lucky to be alive.’

  ‘Sir Malcolm treated it father, it was very sore, especially when I was flying. Why did they do it father?’

  ‘I'm not sure, I think it may have been because I was considering exiling them because of their behaviour, to another city away from the Highlanders. That would have put you in direct line to the throne.’

  ‘I have other brothers out there somewhere father, I don’t want to be King, I just want to be a warrior like the Highlanders. I want to serve our people and protect them.’

  ‘Isn’t that what I do Vaary?’

  ‘Yes I suppose so,’ the young man frowned, ‘but I would rather do it with a sword in my hand.’

  ‘I will find you the finest tutors.’

  ‘I already have the finest tutor’s father.’

  ‘Ah of course, your Highland friends, but are they the finest swords men, I don’t know about that.’

  Vary looked deeply into his father’s eyes, ‘it has taken me a long time to cultivate that friendship father and to gain their trust. Please don’t fuck it up for me.’

  The King’s mouth dropped open, then it closed and a slow smile slowly spread across his face, ‘there you go, thinking like a King already.’

  It was an hour before Gareth and Graun appeared at the palace, he was shown straight into the King. The King was sitting on his throne with three bloody and battered men in front of him. Each had a leather band tied round their waist, Gareth realised they would stop them from transforming. Gareth waited as the King stood in front of each and placed a hand to their foreheads. He finished what he was doing before he acknowledged Gareth.

  ‘This is what happens Gareth when you beget bastards outside of marriage. It’s ok, we need no help now, but will you stay until thing stabilize here.’

  ‘Of course, what’s been happening?’ Graun was scowling at a grinning Malcolm who stood behind the King.

  The King sighed, ‘they tried to kill Vaary, the only full bloodied brother Melina has left outside of captivity. I thought they were only trying to secure their position in line for the throne, but I badly misjudged them. Their intentions were to kill me as well and rule in my stead.’ He looked round. ‘Sir Malcolm.’

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘Could you take this three to the red square, I will have a man show you where it is and use your axe to execute them. I will have an official read out the charges in full before you take their lives.’

  ‘I can do that.’ Malcolm snapped out some orders. Struan and a few others hoisted the men to their feet and marched them out.

  The King gave orders for the palace to be cleaned up and took Gareth to a small walled garden. He sat at a table and invited Gareth and Graun to join him. Frightened servants found food and drink for them. The King dismissed everyone.

  ‘Please don’t tell me Malcolm was responsible for this mayhem,’ Graun ventured.

  ‘I can’t do that war master Graun, but don’t be harsh on him, it was he who saved my son Vaary and prevented an attempt on my life and my Queens. He also solved a rather big problem I had.’ Gareth latched on to it immediately but kept his peace for the moment. ‘He has however devastated my royal guard. The Highland contingent immediately turned on their Eagle companions who were absolutely no match for them whatsoever. It also leaves me in a bit of a quandary. If my own personal guard is no match for a bunch of wild men with no more than a few swords and spears, then how am I to defend this place let alone my people? So few of them even have the inclination to pick up a weapon. Any suggestions gentlemen and please don’t suggest I use nothing but Highlanders, we have to learn to cope with these kind of situations ourselves.’

  ‘I want to know why the Highlanders in your employ turned on their Eagle companions in the first place,’ Gareth asked.

  ‘My son Prince Vaary is a favourite amongst them. When he told them his brothers had tried to kill him and were controlling the minds of the other guards, they turned instantly.’

  ‘They shouldn’t have,’ growled Gareth, ‘they should have tried to contain the situation until you returned.’

  ‘Lucky for me they didn't, I have complete control over all my people except for my own children. As my sons grow older then my grip on them begins to slip, until such a time as they are fully independent. At that time then they are capable of rule. I have never heard of a son being able to influence the palace guard over the wishes of the King. I failed to take into account there were just so many of them and their combined will could completely over
power mine. None of this should ever have happened.’

  ‘I have an idea, it may help,’ Gareth mused.

  ‘I will listen to anything.’

  ‘We teach our own to fight, he in the family who is considered the best will teach, but in the story of the journey they weren’t able to do that. The Great Sea King had a training facility built where all the young men went and trained before joining their fathers. Obviously the situation here is different, but what if you asked for volunteers or promised a better education, not every Eagle knows everything about everything, you have schools. Say for ten years service in your forces and you could include the children of mixed marriages as well. I suggest you build it in the Highlands; that will promote strong soldiers. You could have a number of schools, each higher than the last. I don’t know it’s an idea.’

  The King mulled it over, ‘an idea with merit Gareth, we could promise advancement to those of lower status within our own community as a reward for service, I will certainly give it some thought. Of course I will hire the best military men I can afford to teach and in return I will receive professional fighting men of a high quality. Yes, a military academy of sorts an excellent idea in fact. I will give it some thought.’

  Gareth scratched his head, ‘what was Malcolm doing here anyway Graun?’

  Graun shrugged, ‘I don’t know I'm not his keeper and when it comes to Malcolm I've found it better just not to ask.’

  ‘Aye I suppose,’ Gareth agreed, ‘but it’s left the palace damn near defenceless.’

  ‘Not all my guard’s were killed and I still have the Highland contingent. I discovered that some of your fellow countrymen used coverings and trappings to subdue some of my own people instead of killing them. I will have to cut my visit short though and pull my troops back. I have no doubt this whole thing will shock my people to the core. I will have to show strength to keep their confidence and bring things back to normal.’

  ‘That would be wise,’ Gareth agreed secretly delighted.

  ‘I was supposed to be meeting with the members of your council tomorrow; I will have to postpone it.’