Merlin's Gold

Merlin's Gold - Chapter 13 - Oak Trees

Chapter 13 – Oak Trees

There was a lull in activity as the men rested between patrols. Grayle and Daniel sat with Gawain in the mess area, the three of them bent over one of the rough tables the men used for meals. A large leather bound book lay open in front of Gawain. Grayle and Daniel sat to either side of him, with all three intent on the writing in front of them.

"A... M... O... R," Gawain's finger traced the ornate letters of Bishop David's Bible. "Amor?"

"Good man," said Daniel leaning back with a smile on his face. "That's the Latin word for love. 'God is Love' is the whole phrase, but you're doing well. Not bad for a man who normally gets hit in the head too much."

"That's hardly fair," said Grayle. "He usually gets his shield in the way first. Then he hits his head on that instead."

"Honestly you two, I am trying you know," said Gawain as the other two dissolved into fits of giggles.

"Aye, we know, just pulling your leg, anyway we..."

Whatever else Grayle was about to say was lost in a sudden commotion as one of the miners, a youth called Jago, ran into the camp at full tilt. Seeing the three seated at the table, he sprinted towards them and skidded to a halt, using the table to prop himself up, as breathless, he grinned at the three of them. As his breath started to return, he spoke haltingly.

"King... Mark. Where?... News... old shaft... found way in..."

"You've found a way into the mound?" demanded Grayle, shooting to his feet. The boy nodded, still grinning.

"Run back and tell Merlin and Cadan that I'll find Mark, we'll be up shortly, thank you."

The boy ran off back up the hill and Grayle turned to his colleagues with a bright smile on his face. "We've found it, I can feel it. Come on you two, let's find Mark and Percival and get up that hill."

A short time later, a large circle of onlookers peered into the shaft Cadan and his miners had cut into the top of the hill. The circular shaft was approximately ten feet deep and, as the few men in the bottom of the shaft cleared away the soil, it was evident they had found something other than soil.

"Well, what do you think we have here?" Mark addressed Merlin, causing an immediate cessation of noise from the circle of onlookers as they waited for the old magician to speak.

"Well, my King, I would suggest this is a shaft cap. There is evidence of a circular stone wall there, it looks a little like the edge of a water well, so I think this shaft was built up as they built the hill. It's perfectly round and neatly constructed. Where the lads are now in the base of the Pit is a mound of rubble, but I suspect that is the top of the cap, below which we will hopefully find an open shaft to the centre of the mound."

Merlin looked up and over at Cadan who was helping the men out of the hole to enable the onlookers to get a better view.

"Cadan," he called. "I suggest getting your men on ropes, if I'm right, I think what we'll find is a relatively small amount of rubble, and then an old oak tree."

Cadan nodded, motioning his men to manoeuvre the wooden framed crane into position.

"A tree?" muttered Gawain. "He's finally lost the plot."

"I'm sure he knows what he's doing," said Grayle, "he's rarely wrong on these things."

"When you children have finished gossiping behind me," Merlin turned and glared at them, "I will explain."

Daniel, grinned at Grayle and Gawain, wagging an admonishing finger mockingly.

"That includes you too church boy," said Merlin, his back to the three of them.