Gareth Ogilvie The Great Sea King

by J W Murison

  ‘Don’t you dare voice that Gareth Ogilvie,’ she warned.

  He smiled brightly at her immediately concealing his thoughts. The chick was still wet from inside the shell.

  ‘That is your son,’ she told him.

  ‘It’s a boy,’ he announced.

  Catherine jumped with joy and before he knew it the whole palace was buzzing. He never realised how much everyone had been waiting for this moment. Within a few minutes a bell began to ring. Ten minutes later the other egg cracked open and soon a second bell with a different tone was added to the first. They rang for about an hour. In the Highlands mortality was so high that the birth wasn’t really celebrated until the child was a year old. A wee drink with family and friends was all that was normally warranted. At the end of its first year the child was named as part of the Clan and a real celebration was held in its honour.

  Gareth felt a strange buzz flow through him and every one greeted him with a smile on their face and congratulated him. Within an hour both chicks were dry and fluffed up. Melina introduced them to their father but as of yet they could form no real thoughts of their own. Melina kept fluffing her feathers with pleasure and Gareth could feel the glow from her. Soon the chicks were asleep and a nursemaid took over the task of keeping them warm. For the first time since she had fell pregnant Melina transformed into a woman. She held Gareth close for the longest time then gave Catherine as warm a hug. Catherine looked her up and down, ‘no stretch marks huh.’

  Melina laughed, ‘not in this form but in Eagle form my body’s in a bloody mess.’ The two women laughed at the joke. ‘I just want a quick bath then I want to try and catch something live to feed the chicks. Gareth what are we going to call them.’

  He scratched his head, ‘I've been mulling over that one for months, I just have no idea, have you?’

  ‘There was a famous Eagle once called Bart.’

  Gareth shook his head, ‘to close to fart, the kids will take the piss out of him.’

  ‘That's not nice,’ Melina protested.

  ‘He has a point though,’ Catherine threw her support behind Gareth and Melina capitulated.

  ‘One of the first great leaders of the Highland race was called Teal, a name rarely used now, if ever.’

  Melina thought it over, ‘I think that will suit him, it sounds almost Eagle and its human too.’ She smiled, Teal it is, now what about your daughter?’

  ‘How about Melina, like her mother?’

  She shook her head, ‘no what about Melisa, that's my mother’s name.’

  ‘I like it, Melisa it is.’

  She took Gareth by the hand and her eyes were full of promise, ‘will you see me to my bath husband.’

  Gareth's heart began to beat faster, ‘oh I think I could manage that.’

  Catherine made a discreet exit feeling a pang of jealously that she ruthlessly crushed. She went back to the nest and the nursemaid let her stroke the sleeping chicks. Catherine fell totally in love with them and sat there until late when Melina returned with a large salmon for the chicks. The nursemaid made way and her movement disturbed the chicks. They woke and began to demand food. Melina tore the salmon to pieces and fed it to the chicks. They were soon sleeping again. Melina transformed and sat on the edge of the nest.

  ‘They are so beautiful Melina,’ Catherine had a tear in her eye, ‘Gareth was so right to have them in Eagle form, you know I wish my children could fly.’

  Melina glowed with happiness and gave Catherine a hug, ‘you never know, they may become riders.’

  Catherine shook her head, ‘I doubt that not with Gareth as a father, maybe when they are very young.’

  ‘Maybe, it has been a long time since we talked face to face but I want to thank you for everything you have done Catherine.’

  Suddenly both women burst out laughing, Catherine wiped a tear from her face, ‘I should be thanking you Melina, you were right about Gareth, he is a wonderful man, and tonight I will find out if he really can handle both of us in the same night.’

  That brought farther hoots of laughter.

  ‘What are you pair up to?’

  They turned on Gareth, ‘nothing husband, just talking,’ Melina told him.

  ‘It’s really weird seeing you to getting along. Never mind I am glad of it. I have to go to bed now I have a war to start tomorrow. Will you be ok Melina?’

  ‘I will be fine, the children have seen you, they will remember their fathers face now.’

  Catherine winked at Melina, ‘let me accompany you to your bed chamber Gareth.’

  He looked to Melina but she transformed herself back into an Eagle, ‘enjoy the benefits of having two wives husband,’ she whispered into his mind.

  The idea suddenly intrigued Gareth and he led Catherine away. An hour later Catherine lay fast asleep in the crook of his arm and Gareth felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he drifted off to sleep.

  CHAPTER 24

  The ambush went off beautifully. A flight of arrows was the first warning any of the soldiers got and seconds later a thousand Highlanders charged into the affray and wiped out the contingent. The Beast quickly found the gold rings and using a tool Gareth had made sliced through them like they were butter.

  ‘Nice,’ he grunted and tossed the gold halves to one of the younger men, ‘get these to Gareth.’

  The young man beamed from ear to ear; finally he was getting to meet their great commander. He raced back to the main force and stood on the edge of the group. He recognised most of the men there and was bug eyed with adoration.

  Gareth eventually noticed him and frowned, ‘can I help you lad.’

  ‘Aye sir,’ he held up the pieces of gold ring.

  ‘Ah, did my ring cutters work?’

  ‘Aye sir they did.’

  ‘Who cut them?’

  ‘The Beast sir.’

  ‘Did he make comment on them?’

  ‘He just said nice sir.’

  Gareth grinned, ‘that's grand, just leave them here lad.’

  The young man took to his heels. A short while later a wagon rolled up with a load of gold rings, he had it all sent back to the palace. Scout went forward to where they were going to bury the rings and felt all right. Then he advanced forward until he began to feel funny and retreated back half a mile, he set up a marker. Scouts trailed the wagon back along its route. By evening Scout had advanced another ten miles forward. Gareth wasn’t happy, he sent the men who had mapped out the rings in to remove them. They did better that day and by day four Gareth had his salient.

  A brazier had been set up in camp to melt the rings into solid bars and they were then removed as soon as they were cool. There had been little enemy activity and Gareth began to build his defensive position.

  He built it on the forward slope of the old lake, his cavalry were half a mile behind the ridge out of sight. On day five it began to rain. It wasn’t the down pour they had experienced in the desert but it was intense. He now had scouts out a mile before the magic line and each had an Eagle with him, they relayed back any enemy movements. Inside the ring were the forward Scouts. It was almost seven days before they pulled back reporting large movements of enemy troops. When Gareth judged the time right he pulled back the most of the Eagles and that night the rain stopped.

  Gareth stood looking out at the morning mist. The night before a huge host had appeared. Strange beasts called to one another in the morning light. Graun found him there, ‘the sun will soon be up and burn this mist off.’

  ‘Aye maybe, is Scout back yet?’

  ‘Should be back at any moment, sunrise you told him, he’s got a few minutes yet.’ Just then a group of men came into view from out of the mist. They were way over to their right. Graun grinned, bang on time.’

  They came in over to their right and were guided to where the two commanders were waiting. Scout had a grin on his face. ‘I went right round the host and felt nothing, no magic.’

  Bird stood close by, ’Colonel Millar.’


  ‘Aye Sire.’

  ‘Are you and Arak ready for a recon?’

  ‘I’ll give his fat lazy arse a kick and see.’

  ‘I’ll kick yours long before you’ll kick mine,’ Arak appeared from the mist and tossed a saddle at Birds feet. ‘Since when did Eagles carry about their own saddles in this form?’

  He transformed himself into an Eagle and bird threw the saddle on. ‘Wish us luck,’ he called back as Arak took to the wing. Despite Scouts report Bird knew there was a bloody good chance there could be some form of protective magic over the enemy host. They began by skimming the edges of the host below before turning in ever decreasing circles. ‘Ok Arak right over the middle before the bloody mist lifts.’ They sailed right over the top. Bird caught a single glimpse of the host below. They came into land beside Gareth, ‘no magic, I caught a glimpse and they seem to be assembling under the cover of the mist.’

  ‘Aye I can hear them, ok Bird get back to your regiment, make sure not an Eagle lifts into the sky until they are committed or I send the word. Where’s our liaison officers?’

  ‘Mine should be at my command post Sire; I’ll make sure we’re all ready don’t worry.’

  Gareth smiled, ‘ignore me, I always get edgy just before a battle.’

  Bird laughed, ‘edgy, I normally get a dose of the shits.’ His laughter followed him into the sky.

  His Highlanders began to assemble quietly every man listening to the strange sounds beyond the camp. Behind them were the troops from his-own kingdom. They were an unknown commodity as far as Gareth was concerned and they didn't look happy. Gareth made an instant decision. He called his commanders and gave out new orders. Within 30 min the battle line up had changed completely.

  Now his commanders looked happy and the Highland contingent didn't. One of them made his feelings very clear. Ronald Donald shoved his chin out at Gareth, ‘my Clan is always the first into the battle line Gareth, you know that, what goes on here?’

  He turned to his commanders, ‘I want all of you to take post and clear the tent apart from the Highland commanders.’

  ‘Gather round,’ he asked the unhappy men. ‘It struck me that our people know little of defensive tactics and the chances are that once the enemy are close enough some young blood is going to get it into his head to charge. If that happens then we are going to be left very vulnerable. Our enemy out numbers us at least three to one. Whether those numbers are here today we don’t know yet. I can’t afford to lose this fight and if just one of these wall collapse we will. Those men out there are used to fighting behind defensive positions so let’s leave them to it for now. I'm afraid I don’t have much confidence in their fighting abilities but I don’t want them to know that.’

  ‘Then you’re taking a helava risk Gareth,’ Donald growled.

  Gareth grinned, ‘oh no I'm not; I'm proposing a new tactic.’ He drew a diamond shape in the dirt with a square round it. ‘This is our perimeter and this is how you will be deployed, each point facing a wall. Because of their numbers I'm sure they will spill right round our wee fort here, which means they could breach any side. Four commanders, each of you will have equal control over the whole lot. If one side breaches whoever is on that side will take command and charge. You will smash any of the enemy who have forced their way inside the perimeter and keep going straight through them.’

  A slow smile spread across Ronald’s face, ‘oh man alive Gareth, I like it, just as they think they are in and have won the day we smash the bastards. I take it that's when you'll send in the cavalry.’

  ‘Aye, that's just exactly what I'm thinking.’

  ‘Forget I said anything Gareth I like this plan better, I’d rather charge into an enemy host and stand there like an idiot a target for spears and arrows.’

  ‘What if there is more than one breach,’ asked another.

  ‘That's why you are facing four different directions,’ Gareth told him. ‘If they breach in two places then half go one-way, and the other half the other. If they breach in more than that then you don’t charge out of the compound you plug the gaps and man the walls until you hear the war horn sound retreat. The orders for retreat remain the same. Is everything understood?’ There were no questions, ‘good then let’s get to it.’

  When the mist began to dissipate Gareth with his command group retreated to a raised platform that gave Gareth a commanding view of the battlefield. With him were half a dozen of the broken women who now radiated a fierce confidence. The rest of them were spread around Gareth's forces and would relay his commands to the commanders.

  Lena stepped up to his side, ‘Sire the cavalry reports they are ready. The Eagle forces are also ready.’

  ‘Good, tell them to stand easy for the moment.’ He could see the Highlanders mill around in confusion below him but their war chieftains soon began to whip them into shape. The commanders on the walls reported in. Gareth directed the archers to the wall facing the enemy and they stood easy sticking their arrows into the ground at their feet.’

  ‘Why put the Highland archers at the front Sire,’ asked Aswari, ‘they have farther reach why not put them at the back.’

  ‘Depth Aswari, with the Highland archers at the back we would get a better concentration of arrows over a shorter distance. With them at the front we will get better depth and cover a far larger area of the enemy force.’

  ‘Will it not be less effective Sire?’

  ‘On the ground yes but on the mind no.’

  ‘Ah I see, they will not expect your arms to be so long, you hope it will frighten them.’

  ‘A man charging across a battlefield knows he will have to run the gauntlet of arrows, if he is quick that exposure is brief and he knows that. If we double the distance he is exposed it should increase his fear. Battles aren’t just won by force of arms Aswari; more often than not they are won by fucking with your enemy’s head. Today I want my enemy to think he is going to win, right up until it’s too late.’

  ‘I suppose that is why I am a captain of the guard and you are a King Sire.’

  ‘Stick close Aswari and I’ll teach you how to be a King one day.’

  ‘Can I have many beautiful wives like you Sire?’

  The men laughed and Gareth grinned, ‘you can have as many as you like Aswari.’

  ‘I would like them a little more plump that you like them Sire, but one for every night of the week except on the last day.’

  ‘Would you rest on that day Aswari?’

  ‘Lord no Sire, on that day I would have two.’ The platform rocked with laughter and those below took heart.

  Trumpets sounded in the distance and the mist finally cleared. ‘It looks like they have assembled.’

  Aswari mumbled something in his own language at the sight of the Tyrannies rumbling into place. They were still lethargic and slow but Gareth knew that would change soon enough. He turned to Lena, ‘tell Colonel Millar the Tyrannies are to be used in the first wave and to have his counter force ready on my word.’

  ‘Yes Sire.’

  As the sun rose so did the tyrannies energy levels. They whole force began to move forward at a walking pace. By the time they were half a mile from the palisade they were beginning to pick up speed.

  ‘What do you think Graun, are they beginning to look a little frisky?’

  ‘I would say so,’ he grinned back.

  ‘Lena, tell the counterforce to begin their assault.’

  A few seconds later they heard the cry of Eagles taking to the wing. A force of archers began to stream forward from the enemy host. ‘Tell the Highland archers to standby.’ The order was relayed. The enemy archers lined up where they thought they were safely out of sight of their foes archers but still within range of the men on the walls. They stopped and readied their arrows.

  ‘Tell them to draw their bows,’ Gareth ordered. He watched the enemy archers as they followed suit. As the enemy bows pointed towards the sky Gareth ordered his men to loose their arrows. Before the enemy archers cou
ld release their arrows, a thousand Highland arrows fell amongst them. Men died screaming and pinned to the ground by the long arrows. Overhead a few dozen Eagles raced towards the enemy.

  ‘Let’s hope they’re not all girls,’ Graun grimaced.

  ‘Get ready to blow the retreat just in case,’ Gareth could feel the tension ripple up his back. It pretty much all depended on this one thing. The Eagles dropped their pots and they smashed into the ground or on to the large lumbering beasts. The effect was almost instantaneous. The riders died as the beasts tried to mount one another. Then rider less they began to ran amuck. Gareth hoped they would devastate the enemy infantry however they did one better. They made a beeline for the large grey beasts that lumbered behind. The noise was horrific, the screams of dying and enraged animals carried clearly to Gareth's ears.

  The enemy was already in disarray and if it had been anywhere else Gareth would have picked this time to charge; but those beasts were still on the rampage and they could do his forces as much harm as they were doing to the enemy. Someone on the enemy side began to organise things and heavy spear men slaughtered the remaining beasts. Then he turned his attention to Gareth.

  ‘Do you think he will retreat,’ Graun asked Gareth.

  ‘Na, I think he will be totally pissed off and reassured by our unwillingness to come out of here, and he still has three times our number. I think he’s going to overlook the fact that a bunch of Eagles just flew over what was supposed to be a protected zone and as soon as he has reorganised his men they are going to charge.’

  ‘A bottle of whiskey he retreats,’ Graun offered.

  Gareth grinned, ‘I think I've read him right Graun, he’s still in his comfort zone, I’ll take that bet.’

  ‘I think he’s lost his heavy’s he will retreat.’

  So they waited for almost forty minutes then a big drum started to bang, then another and another then the enemy host began to march toward their position.

  ‘Fucking typical,’ Graun growled and Gareth laughed.

  ‘Tell the archers to make ready,’ Gareth ordered, ‘tell the Eagle flights and cavalry to mount. ‘Stand ready,’ he ordered and heard his order being relayed round the whole perimeter by his subordinates.