Knox of the Bloom

Chapter 19 - The Ancient Fortress

Lir called to her that night, and when she went to his hut, he was accompanied by Aengus and Skral.

"I sent for you, Eriu, that should you fail in your quest I would be the one to lead the Druids. But if you shall bring back this relic, if you should save those in peril, then I would be happy to step aside and let you be the one who would lead us in these dark times."

Eriu shook her head. "I don't wish to lead anyone."

"But you were claimed by the White-Lady, and being the strongest of the Gods, it is only right that you shall be the first of us, to teach us your ways, to show us the path."

"If it is asked of me, then I shall. But I've yet to find my own path, never mind showing others theirs."

Lir nodded, satisfied. "Then it is decided. I wish you nothing but luck on your journey."

Eriu had a fitful sleep that night, dreaming of high mountain peaks, cold valleys, places far from safety. But she woke in the early hours of dawn and felt Knox lying behind her, and eased, her heartbeat slowing.

He would keep her safe. They would keep each other company.

*

There was no feast to speak of their journey, not even a goodbye from any of the people on the island. Knox, Eriu, Tapa and the tall, thin Druid climbed into the boat and rocked away from shore, the stone columns soon becoming lost behind the thick mist. The Flames were closer now, almost to shore, and what that signified Knox could only imagine, but he was glad for the company of the two Druids on the journey to come.

The struck off north-east, back along the trail they had come only days ago, but a joyous and hopeful Knox who had come this way, it was a quiet and solemn one now, for he knew not what would come in the days ahead, or how long they would be gone. They passed by a dead horse with some discarded equipment, which seemed to have been left by the Bronze Men.

"They must be scouting the area to the north," said Skral, speaking what was obvious to Knox, for there was some shards in the discarded equipment of the large clay pots they carried there oils and food in.

"So, what of it?" asked Knox.

"Bad omens," muttered Skral. "They should stick to their southern lands. My brothers to the eastern island speak of their aggressive ways, that they care not for the Old Gods and the people's ways who inhabit the land. That they kill and murder without hesitation."

Knox shrugged. "As long as we stay clear of them, I see no reason they should affect our journey."

They headed north, spending the first night in a thicket of trees, with a small fire. Eriu put the Chah Stone in the fire and it burned in a sickly blue hue, but Knox knew not what she was doing and did not ask, for the ways of Druids was unknown to him. It took two more days to reach the fjord they'd crossed, and the water was even higher than before. Eriu once again placed the Chah Stone into the water and spoke softly, and the current eased somewhat, not as much as before, but enough to make it possible for a man to struggle across and struggle he surely did do.

He helped Eriu across, holding her hand, for her build was sleight and the lesser weight would make it hard going for the strongest of men.

They made it across without any problems and spent the day gathering food and by the fire, for their clothes were soaked and Knox's breath was naught but cloud and his teeth chattering in his skull. He left Skral to warm himself and climbed beneath the stag hide blanket to warm beside Eriu, and soon the close press of both their bodies had them nice and warm. Knox soon dressed in his dry clothes and went to check the snare he'd placed earlier, and bless the Gods, for a hare was in it. He re-set the snare in a different location and went to skin the hare, then set it to boil in a pot of diced dried vegetables given to them by the Druids.