Druids, Raptors and Egyptians
By Thomas Kennedy
Druids, Raptors and Egyptians:
Copyright 2009 Thomas Kennedy, all rights reserved
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Druids, Raptors and Egyptians is a book of fiction and none of its characters are intended to portray real people. Names characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Other novels by the same author:
Dark Drink and Conversation - A warm tale of murder and intrigue
More Dark Drink and Conversation - A warm tale of kidnap and intrigue
The Irish Detective - Hard-boiled Irish Style
Love on the Dark Side of the City - Romantic thriller based in modern Ireland
Twisted Love and Money - Romance and business in modern Ireland
Druids, Raptors and Egyptians
Chapter one
Celtic Dreams
There were about twenty in the group, standing in the dark pre-dawn passageway, lit only by their torches. The Speaker was drawing attention to the spirals carved into the stone in the passageway, pointing out the similarity to those they had seen around the entrance.
In the gloom no one seemed to notice Charlie, a dark brown and black cocker spaniel, young but no longer a puppy.
“We’re dead!” Ben whispered, more hissed to his sister Kate.
“And it’s all your fault!” he added.
They watched in silent horror as Charlie, their dog, sniffed and prodded at the dark shadows on the wall behind the Speaker.
“Dad said don’t bring him in here,” Ben said, his eyes accusing.
Kate, who had brought her beloved Charlie in under her anorak watched wide-eyed. She tried with urgent discreet hand signals, to encourage Charlie to come back to her.
Their Dad’s attention was focussed on the Speaker as he tried to hear every word.
“Newgrange is about five thousand years old. It is a megalithic monument known as a passage tomb,” the Speaker said, speaking to his captive audience in indulgent tones.
“We get over two hundred thousand visitors a year and it is a designated European heritage site. However, as you know the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and it is a very special day at Newgrange. You are all very lucky because as you know tickets for this event can only be acquired by Lottery. Unless of course you are a visiting American scholar with a PhD in Celtic studies.”
There was a ripple of amusement through the guest audience but the Speakers eyes landed for a moment on their Dad. Kate and Ben exchanged glances but nothing was said.
“Now we will move into the chamber proper,” the Speaker added. “Be careful, there’s not a lot of room.”
As they moved down Dad kissed the top of Kate’s head.
“Happy birthday,” he whispered.
Ben punched her arm as his congratulation, backing up his Dad.
“I will ask for torches out in a moment,” the Speaker continued. “We will then stand in dark silence and wait for one of the wonders of the world to unfold. Weather permitting, the morning sun will rise and then begin to shine in to where we are gathered. The sun will appear at the roof box and work it’s way in. The sun illuminates inside the chamber only at this time and the illumination lasts for just seventeen minutes. In those moments, this chamber will be lit as it has been on this day for over five thousand years, as its builders and designers planned and intended. Now torches out. It is almost time, no kissing in the back row.”
There was a ripple of laughter as they all extinguished their torches and a black dark filled the ancient chamber.
Kate had an inspiration and she took out her dog-whistle and blew. No human ear would hear it, only Charlie. She blew again and felt Charlie sniffing at her feet.
“I’ve got him,” she whispered to Ben, leaning against him to get his attention, and scooped Charlie up and back into her anorak.
“Ssh…” her father whispered, putting his hand on her shoulder.
He had warned them to behave, that they were very privileged to be allowed to accompany him and they should stand still and not jig about and avoid chitter-chatter and show respect.
The ancient design of the passage tomb was such that precisely at the dawn of the winter solstice the rising sun would reach in through the gap at the top of the open entrance and then send its rays down the passage to the centre chamber as the sun rose above the horizon.
As the group inside waited the sun began to rise in the frosty cold winter’s clear cloudless Irish sky. The sunlight began to creep slowly along the passage, bringing a warm glow to the cold stones as it came in. Then suddenly it seemed that the sun’s rays danced in, bringing light and a sense of warmth to the entire centre chamber. They all looked at each other in amazement. They were in awe of the event and of the ancient designers of Newgrange.
In her arms Charlie began to squirm, perhaps affected by the influx of light. Kate blew three sharp short notes on her whistle and Charlie became still. Kate felt a satisfaction that Charlie and her were still attending the dog training school. Charlie was young with a lot to learn, but so far he was bright enough to remember what he had learned.
Outside afterwards there was a frosty picnic, with hot tea from flasks and egg and mayonnaise sandwiches. The group stood in knots of two or three and discussed what they had experienced. And they happily sipped the hot warming tea and scoffed the sandwiches.
“Where was Charlie when we were inside?” Dad asked, suddenly aware that Charlie was sniffing around looking for dropped pieces of sandwich.
Kate shrugged, lost for an honest reply, but then her father was distracted as the Speaker announced that the tour was finished and those who’d come on the bus should be in their seats in ten minutes.
“Trinity College, Ancient and Celtic studies,” Dad explained in answer to a query from one of the lottery winners.
“Wasn’t it wonderful,” she gushed.
‘Wonderful,” Dad agreed.
Ben pulled a face at Kate and they moved towards the car. Charlie picked up on them and charged after them.
The group gave a benign smile to the privileged children of a Trinity Scholar as Dad excused himself, “to keep an eye on those scatterbrains.”
“I have to write up my notes on the visit,” Dad said as they barrelled into the living room.
“Amuse yourselves until lunchtime. I’m going to do a pizza. We’ll have Kate’s birthday cake and ice cream this evening when Mom gets home. And leave off the television, if you don’t mind.”
Ben and Kate headed for the hall and their bedrooms.
“Take off your anoraks and hang them up,” Dad shouted as he made his way to his study. “And first the wellies, into the Conservatory.”
Then he turned and said softly, “it’s your Mom’s golden rule.”
Their Wellington boots were at the hall door where they had left them.
“Mine too,” Kate said as Ben picked up his pair.
Ben looked at her, but then shrugged and took both pairs of wellies.
“Thanks,” Kate said and went on upstairs to her room.
As she came into her bedroom Kate was pulling down the zip of her anorak. She heard it fall. Charlie who was hot on her heels grabbed it but she caught his mouth.
“Drop it,” she instructed firmly.
Charlie looked at her and dropped it. Kate made a face; it was a piece of stone all covered in Charlie’s drool.
“Outside,” Kate said firmly and led Charlie back down the stairs and out the hall door.
The front porch was covered and Charlie also had the option of his kennel where it lay in the corner of the large garden near the back side-gate. Kate gave him a hug and a kiss. But she had remembered her mother’s promise, “I’ll get you a dog Kate, but dogs are not allowed in the bedrooms!”
When she got back upstairs she used a tissue to pick up the piece of stone. It was light in weight and a funny shape, a long limestone encrusted piece about three inches long.
With a look of distaste she took the offending article into the bathroom. Clearly, she reasoned, it had to be it was something Charlie had picked up in his mouth at Newgrange and subsequently let it drop inside her anorak.
She put the stone in the sink and took off her anorak.
There was a small wet stain on the anorak where the stone had lodged inside in the bottom fold above the elastic. She sniffed, no smell, so she went into her wardrobe to hang up the anorak. It could dry out there and no one would be the wiser.
Back in the bathroom, she slowly peeled away the tissue and made a face, dropping the tissue in the bin. Looking at the piece she decided it might make a suitable souvenir of her Newgrange visit, but only if it cleaned up well.
She put in the plug and ran the tap. She noticed the stone in the water had a greenish tinge on one side.
“Charlie is barking,” Ben shouted from the bottom of the stairs, having dragged himself away from his computer game.
“Leave him,” Kate retorted, “he has to learn.”
“O.K.”
“He brought a stone back from Newgrange.”
“What?”
Ben sounded curious and came bounding up the stairs. Ben had recently received a set of meteor stones from a friend of their Dad’s, and much encouraged by Dad, he was becoming an enthusiastic amateur geologist.
Kate dried the stone in more tissue and came out on the landing.
“Show me,” Ben said and grabbed at it.
Two years younger than Kate and also playing on the school hurling team, Ben was a lot stronger than Kate.
He inspected it as he held her off with one arm.
“Calcified stone,” he remarked.
But she grabbed his little finger and twisted.
“Ouch!” he cried and then he gave a malicious grin.
“Kiss it Kate and you can have it back, otherwise it’s going in the bin.”
He held the stone out while she shook her head, distaste written all over her face, but she was not going to let him win.
She twisted his finger again.
“Kiss,” he insisted.
Kate kissed the stone.
The flash of light blinded them for a moment and they both fell sitting on the landing in shock and surprise. The stone fell between them.
At first there was a greenish, yellowish vapour but then the vapour gathered shape and rose like pod of smoke above the stone.
Suddenly the stone rose off the landing carpet and disappeared into the pod of smoke.
They stared, wide eyed, wondering if they had started a fire, but yet knowing that this was something different.
Then the smoke vanished and there was a thump as the stone landed back on the landing carpet.
They stared at it. Their eyes met. They stared at it again.
It was small and beautiful. It had a rippled flowing shape and was about two inches long. It resembled a snake, tapering at one end. It was inscribed in patterns of three swirling spirals that were set in emerald green along the gold body of the piece.
“Like the pattern on the stones in Newgrange,” Ben observed in awe.
But they were both afraid to touch it.
Then Kate was off down the stairs shouting, “Dad, Dad!”
Ben followed about half way down and then stopped, not wanting to be alone on the landing and yet not wanting to let the piece out of his sight for fear it would disappear before Dad arrived.
“Don’t talk about this,” Dad admonished. “I’ll put it into one of your mother’s old jewellery cases. Are you sure it came from inside the tomb?”
“We … yes.” Kate replied, remembering the only time she’d picked up Charlie was inside.
“You see it’s a crime to remove artefacts from a National Monument. I need time to check this out.”
“It turned to smoke,” Kate tried to explain.
“When you washed it you may have caused the outer covering to dissolve. Very strange, very strange.”
“Will we go to jail?” Ben defended. “It was Charlie’s fault.”
“He was inside Newgrange?” Dad sounded cross and Kate’s eyes filled with tears.
“Now, now, no tears on your birthday,” Dad softened.
“It was inside my anorak,” Kate explained. “I think Charlie must have picked it up off the ground.”
“Nobody’s fault. It is a wonderful artefact. Better found than not found. But I need to verify it. Just say nothing to nobody.”
“Yes Dad,” they echoed in reply.
“Not even at your birthday party. Say nothing to your friends Kate.”
“Yes Dad.”
“Right, your mother will be home soon, go and wash your hands, both of you!”
They both nodded their agreement and Dad put the jewel in his pocket.
They promptly forgot everything about the stone when as Mom arrived home with a big cake for Kate’s birthday party.
Escorted by Granny Moody, Kate’s three best friends from her class at the International School arrived a little late.
“Happy Birthday Kate,” they cried in unison and handed over gift-wrapped presents.
Mom took Granny Moody into the kitchen for a cup of coffee.
Lana, Moody and Ho Wang made the secret sign known only to the members of the Fairy Field Club and Kate as chief magician of the club solemnly returned the sign.
“We will meet tomorrow,” Kate whispered and they smiled in agreement.
By local tradition the field behind Kate’s house was known as the Fairy Field. It had a mound in the centre called the Fairy Fort and the local farmer had never touched this mound. It was overgrown with Blackthorn bushes. Their den was in a hollow under the Blackthorns in the centre of the mound known as the Fairy Fort.
Carrying her presents, Kate led them in to join the party.
Chapter two
All That Glisters
Standing on a self contained site in the heart of Dublin city, Trinity College covers about forty acres with green spaces and cobbled squares between the ancient buildings that reflect the architectural richness of centuries, having been founded in the sixteenth century, the oldest University in Ireland, still vibrant with over twelve thousand students in its academic year.
Dad had met with his old friend and colleague Brian Sunderland on the old cobble stoned square opposite the exam hall that was reputed to be as old as the American declaration of Independence.
The University’s venerable walls held many faculties but none could be further apart than Arts and Humanities studies and the Faculty of Science.
But they were old friends from the time when they shared accommodation and both had studied for their Masters at Harvard.
“The scan says it’s solid. Yet the spectrogram says it is gold. But it is not gold,” Brian explained.
“Not?” Dad replied in a puzzled voice.
They walked across the cobbled square towards the steps up to the ancient dining room. At this hour it was reserved for college staff and lecturers. Students, if they wished, could dine downstairs in their own café.
When they were settled at one end of one of the long old oak tables, Brian took a velvet cloth from the pocket of his gown and carefully unfolded the velvet to reveal the piece Kate had found at Newgrange.
“Beautiful isn’t it, my daughter says her dog picked it up inside Newgrange in the passage to the tomb proper.”
Brian laughed. “Kids and dogs! You know I can’t date it.”
“Can’t?”
“No, look at it. It’s perfectly clean and unmarked. Sometimes we can date things by the level of soil they are certified as found in and sometimes we can use carbon dating. But this is a stand-alone perfect piece in perfect condition. Like a new minted coin. Are you sure you didn’t just buy it in a jewellers in Grafton Street?”
“What do you mean it’s not gold?” Dad asked, changing tack. “And surely the green spirals are Emerald?” he added.
“Pick it up,” Brian instructed with a knowing smile.
“So?”
“Feel the weight, gold is much heavier.”
“Hollow?”
“Maybe, but not on the scan, so I don’t think so.”
“Hmmm…” Dad held the little object in one hand and sipped his coffee with the other.
“Do the kids miss America?” Brian asked conversationally.
“Yes and no, we have been in Ireland been four years now, and of course we go back for holidays.”
“Do you think you’ll go back to the States?”
“Not in the immediate future, after all this is Ireland and I am a Celtic scholar and Trinity is a wonderful world famous University. And the family is happy in Ireland.”
“How’s Ben, I got his thank you note.”
“Ben’s great but I think your present has turned him into an amateur geologist.” Dad said with a smile.
“He
actually liked the collection I sent him?”
Dad laughed.
“Ben was surprised to get stones in a presentation box, but when I explained that they were geological samples including parts of meteorites he became very interested.”
“I’m
glad he was pleased.”
“I got him a ‘how to be a geologist’
book and he seems to be interested.”
“And Kate?”
“I took her to Newgrange to celebrate her birthday. That’s where we found the jewel. Ben says it was calcified but that dissolved when Kate cleaned it.”
“Could
she have taken this jewel from her mother’s stuff?”
“No,
don’t recognise it and neither does her Mom.”
“If it is from Newgrange you’d better hand it in, National Treasure?”
“I wonder what it is?”
“I
tried to take a scratch.”
“What!” Dad inspected it
carefully, his voice sharp.
“Just for further analysis. You know what, it wouldn’t scratch.”
“Gold would,” Dad said.
But he was pleased the piece was unmarked.
“Maybe it has some sort of a glaze. I’d need to stress it,” Brian offered.
“Stress?”
“You know, put pressure on it. Try to break a small bit for analysis. We could analyse with chemicals but it would dissolve the sample.”
“Don’t you dare Brian, it’s too beautiful.”
“When you hand it in all hell will break loose. If a Doctor of Celtic studies says he has found an artefact at Newgrange…” Brian shrugged. “Well you know Newgrange is older than the Egyptian pyramids, to suggest an object of such craftsmanship came from such a time. It would be a sensation.”
“So they’d try to smash it?”
“Don’t be so incredulous. They’d have to verify what it is. I mean some tourist could have dropped it. It looks timeless. It doesn’t look old.”
“Do you think?”
“It’s in great condition. But I’m intrigued, so like gold but not gold…?”
Dad finished his coffee. He put the piece back in the velvet and put it in his pocket.
“Forget
it,” he said to Brian. “I can’t prove it is from Newgrange. Not
now, I’m not going to put my reputation on the line. What if you
are right and some tourist dropped it?”
“Look, let Kate have
it as a souvenir of her visit,” Brian suggested. “She will think
it is an artefact from Newgrange. A memento of the visit?”
“Well thanks for the analysis Brian. I owe you one.”
“No bother, sorry the budget didn’t allow the more expensive tests,” Brian smiled. “I suppose it could be a light alloy dipped in gold. You’d need modern technology for that. I’m sure it’s valuable.”
“I’ll check with the ‘lost and found’ at Newgrange. If nothing like it is reported lost I’ll take your suggestion and give it to Kate as a souvenir.”
“Right so, must get back.”
Chapter three
Magic lesson
Kate woke up with a start. She knew it was very late because it was very dark. Alone in the room Kate felt scared. There was a faint light from a street lamp around the edge of the curtains. Otherwise…
Then she saw it. The green spirals were glowing in the dark.
Heart thumping, Kate climbed across the covers down to the end of her bed. Then she slid off and sat on her stool in front of the mirror. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness.
There was no sound and the jewel lay where her Dad had left it for her. The spirals were shimmering as if flowing in green lines along the spirals across the gold. It looked like a small moving snake but it stayed in position.
Kate looked in the mirror and saw her reflection in the dim light. Then feeling scared, she picked up the piece between her finger and thumb to see it in the mirror.
Slowly the face in the mirror changed. Kate stared and she wondered was she dreaming? Her face was changing into someone else.
Her face became that a very beautiful woman with red hair and green eyes and wearing a green cloth dress inlaid with golden spirals of thread. Her green eyes weren’t scary, they were kindly, and were light green speckled with gold rather like an untouched meadow is speckled with wild flowers.
“Kate,” the voice said gently. “Don’t be afraid.”
Kate froze at the sound of the voice, her panic held in check only by the kindness in the tone of voice and the beautiful smile of the woman in the mirror.
“Is this yours?” Kate asked in a shaky voice, holding out the jewel.
The woman smiled warmly.
“Thank you Kate for finding it.”
“It was Charlie,” Kate explained.
Kate felt a rising fear a panic, and she wondered was she asleep and dreaming this. The mirror was talking to her!
“Stay calm Kate,” the woman in the mirror said softly as if sensing Kate’s alarm.
“Is this magic or am I asleep?” Kate asked, trying not to scream.
The woman had a gentle smile. “You are awake Kate,” she said.
Kate’s panic was subsiding. She felt relaxed by the soft warm voice and kindly face of the apparition in the mirror.
“Ben studies stones and he said it was something calcified but then all the gunk evaporated and we had a jewel.”
“The jewel was getting so cold and damp.”
“How does it work, I mean how did it change?” Kate asked.
“It needed a maiden’s kiss.”
The woman laughed with a musical laugh and Kate joined in.
“Does it have a battery?” Kate persisted.
The woman seemed to be thinking about how to explain. Sometimes her Dad did that when things were very complicated.
“The passage tomb at Newgrange is a time traveller,” the woman began.
“Made of stone?” Kate asked.
“It has been there for thousands of years and will be for more, that’s what I mean….”
The woman raised her eyebrows as if inviting Kate to share her smile at the wonder of it all.
‘Do you live there? Is it very damp?” Kate asked.
“No Kate, I live in my time and in my place, just as you do in yours.”
“And the jewel?”
“The jewel is more than an ornament. It once belonged to a very, very powerful Druid. It’s called the Druid’s Bracelet.”
“A Bracelet?”
“It’s a jewel that can be a Bracelet. This jewel can join times, it connects Time-lines.”
“What?” Kate was lost.
“Time-lines
Kate, each of us lives in our own time-line and along it we are born
and we live until we die.”
“And the jewel brings us together?”
Kate summarised.
“Yes Kate. You see, everything that is and everything that was and everything that will be exists and always will. The jewel can reach out and touch other Time-lines.”
“Magic?” Kate said.
“Technology is the modern word.”
“Modern?” Kate asked.
“Kate
I am from a time before your time. Once in Newgrange, before the ice
age came, there was a connection from our world to your world.”
“And
then?” Kate prompted.
“Then
we came, and later when the people who lived here tried to explain
what they were told by the aged ones, they called it magic.”
“I
have a magic club,” Kate said. “I founded it with my school
friends. I even have a ‘book of spells’ Not real spells, just
fun.”
“They said I was a goddess. My name is Danu, they even named a river after me, the Danube, have you heard of it?”
“No.”
“Never mind.”
“A goddess?”
“Very nice, but I am only me.”
“I
like you.”
“The ice was wonderful, so beautiful and cold, my
world became so warm.”
“Ice?
What ice?”
“The climate always changes. Ireland was once
joined to England. Only when the ice melted did it become an island.
We came before that time. We came from another place and we were very
technical. But we consumed our world so we had to use our technology
to come to yours.”
“Are you still here?”
“Yes, but not in your time and place.”
“Can we meet Danu?”
“Only here Kate, you come to the mirror and I will teach you.”
Kate nodded and watched as the image in the mirror faded and as she looked at her own reflection the green spirals on the jewel became still.
Kate sat and stared and began to wonder if she’d had a dream. But she was no longer scared.
She yawned feeling very sleepy, and then she climbed back into bed.
Kate awoke with a start. Mom was calling. “Breakfast!”
Heart in her mouth she put on her dressing gown.
Then she picked up the jewel. She would hide it somewhere.
Her Mom was cross when she arrived in the kitchen.
“You not dressed yet?”
“Sleepy,” Kate said and went to her place and her Mom put some freshly cooked pancakes in front of her.
“Go easy on the honey, honey,” Mom said with a grin.
“What are ‘Time-lines’?” Kate asked as Dad started the car and began to pull out of the driveway.
On his was to work in Dublin, he was taking Mom to the Village and dropping Ben and Kate at school.
“Time-lines?” Mom frowned.
“Well,” Dad interjected as he scanned up and down the road, yet anxious to encourage Kate’s curiosity.
“Time starts and ends so I suppose that’s it. Have you been watching that ‘Star Trek’ nonsense again?”
“Hmmp…” Ben said, staring out the window, not impressed by his stupid sister.
“Are there lots of Time-lines?” Kate asked.
“Could be,” Dad said. “Some scientists say there are an infinite number of universes for each of infinite possibilities.”
“Dad,” Mom protested. “Don’t confuse Kate.”
“No, no, we should encourage girls to take an interest in science. They say there aren’t enough girls in science.”
“Could two Time-lines stick together?” Kate continued.
“Merge?” Dad considered as he stopped the car. Mom got out and closed the gate behind them and then got back into the car.
“Everything is possible,” Dad explained. “But don’t ask me. I’m just a historian. I study the past. Celtic studies are a remove from science and physics.”
“I’m going to be a scientist,” Kate said.
Ben snorted.
“Good girl,” Mom encouraged.
“And study ‘Time-lines.’”
As the car pulled away Kate glanced back at her bedroom window. She’d put the jewel into her Celtic doll. It had red hair on a loose head you could screw on and off. Nobody would find it there.
The doll was a present dad had got at a conference with its own stand and a beautiful green dress with gold threads. She had always known it would be magic.
I must get you some green ribbons for your hair,” Mom commented, smiling back from the front seat. “They’ll go well with your red hair and green eyes.”
“And a green dress, with gold thread,” Kate said.
“If you like,” Mom replied and blew her a kiss.
Chapter four
Time-line 4941072
Kate knew it was time for magic lessons when the gold and emerald snakelike jewel on her dressing table began to glow and its green light. It reflected in the mirror of the Dresser gave an eerie appearance to her room.
It was the hour before dawn and everything was quiet and everyone was fast asleep.
Kate slid down to the bottom of the bed and sat opposite her dressing table mirror.
Slowly the mirror filled with Celtic mist, just like the mist that came in off the sea and up the cliffs to embrace the Blackthorn bushes on the mound in the Fairy Field.
Kate watched calmly, looking into her own eyes, knowing what would happen next. Slowly her reflection merged into that of an older beautiful red haired woman with embracing green-gold eyes and a loving smile.
“Hi Kate.”
“Hi Danu.”
“Tonight we will learn how to use the serpent jewel. Please pick it up. Tonight you will learn its true purpose.”
Kate picked up the two-inch long jewel and held it in the palm of her hand.
“Don’t be afraid,” Danu said and added, ‘Snakes slither silently, slippery, secretly.’”
Kate’s jaw dropped when the jewel began to lengthen, becoming thinner and more sinuous. It crept up the palm of her hand and began to encircle her wrist in a spiral.
“It’s a very pretty bangle,” Kate said, admiring her arm as it settled into position.
Danu smiled pleased Kate was so calm.
“Yes,” she agreed. “And it will give you the gift of tongues.”
“Tongues?”
“Languages Kate. In the future Kate, when you meet someone or something that doesn’t speak English…”
“Something?” Kate interjected with a frown.
Danu smiled and ignored the question.
“The jewel will activate automatically from now on if you are in a Time-line portal.”
“A Time-line Portal?”
“Your Time-line portal is the mound in the Fairy Field.”
“Where we meet?”
“Yes
Kate, where the Fairy Field Club Meets. But write this down and then
memorise it.”
“I’m ready,” Kate said, getting her biro and
a clean page in her book of spells.
“Every Time-line has a distinct number with seven digits, and the number for the Fairy Field Portal is 8504922.”
“Will I write it down?”
“No Kate you must commit this number to memory.”
“I’ll try,” Kate promised.
“Tell
you what Kate, write it down backwards and add an extra number. Eight
numbers won’t work. But put it somewhere it can’t be found.”
“In my Book of Spells?” Kate offered.
“22940587,” Danu said slowly. “that’s the code, you just revese it.”
“Backwards and the seven is not needed,” Kate checked as she entered the number.
“Right,
and Kate never reveal this in your travels, it is your way home.
Memorise it please,” Danu said forcibly.
“OK,” Kate agreed.
“Next,” Danu instructed.
“Right,” Kate said expectantly.
“Snakes slither silently slippery secretly.” Danu spoke slowly and spelled out the words one by one and Kate wrote them down carefully.
“Now,” Danu added with a smile. “The way it works is this. If you say those words to the jewel anywhere outside the Portal it will activate and become a bracelet.And then you will be able to understand languages.”
“And Time-lines?” Kate prompted.
“You can only cross time-lines from a portal and from nowhere else. Understood?”
“Understood,” Kate said, mouthing the words silently and trying to learn them off by heart.
“The real trick is this Kate…”
Danu paused to get Kate to concentrate on what she was saying.
Kate looked into the mirror paying full attention.
“If you say the words backwards, that is secretly slippery silently slither snakes, then it will deactivate the Jewel from a bracelet.”
“I understand,” Kate said.
“Be careful however because it will deactivate even if you are in a Portal.”
“A Portal?”
“That way you can take it off even if you are in the Portal, understood?”
“Yes,” Kate said and mouthed the words backwards.
“Secretly slippery silently slither snakes.”
The Bracelet slid down her arm to her palm.
Kate moved and the jewel fell onto the table in front of the mirror.
“Careful,” Danu admonished.
“Do I need to write the words backwards?” Kate asked.
“No Kate just remember them both ways, then it is easy.”
“One big problem,” Danu added kindly.
“Yes?” Kate asked.
“If you let the Bracelet touch the ground in the Portal the Bracelet will become dead.”
“Dead?”
“De-activated.
But it can be reactivated of course, but not by the spell.”
“How?”
“Only
if you have special materials but I’ll explain this later.”
“O.K.”
“Just
remember. Don’t drop the Bracelet in a portal if you are out of
your Time-line Kate.”
“No,” Kate promised.
“Otherwise you may be stranded.”
“Stranded?”
Danu regarded Kate carefully wondering was she going to fast. She did not want to scare Kate.
“What
next?” Kate asked cheerfully.
“I have a mission for you
Kate.”
“Yes Danu?”
“Your mission is to Portal 4941072. It should take less than an hour but may require a day.”
“Portal 4941072?” Kate repeated.
“While you are on that mission, just leave your bracelet on, don’t deactivate and risk dropping it.”
“Don’t drop it in the Portal?”
“Understood Kate?”
“Yes Danu.”
“Now…” Danu began.
“Why choose me for a mission?” Kate interjected.
“Because now it is time.”
“Can you come with me Danu?”
“No Kate only you.”
“Should I go ask Mom?”
“No Kate, your Mom will never know.”
“But you said the mission might take an hour, even a day?”
“In the new Time-line Kate.”
“Pardon?”
“In your Time-line you will return the second after you left. Nobody will ever know you been to 4941072 and returned.”
“You
really want me to go to Time-line number 4941072?”
”Yes Kate.
Write the number in your Book of spells please,” Danu instructed.
Kate wrote the numbers down.
“Backwards?” she asked as an afterthought.
“No,
Kate it’s fine as you have it. Try to remember it for the mission
please.”
“OK,” Kate said with a frown. Now she had two long
numbers to memorise.
“You need to get to the Fairy Field Portal and then run your hand along the serpent as you think of the Time-line number, the rest is easy,” Danu continued.
“Can I bring Lana or the rest of the Fairy Field Club?”
“No Kate. However you need to bring Ben. He can be your assistant and guardian. Like a Celtic hero of old.”
“My brother? He can be a pain.”
“On the mission he will behave as Oisin, a Celtic hero.”
“Will I go tell him?”
“He needs to be holding your hand as you call up the Time-line. Then he will arrive alongside you in the new Time-line.”
“And how will we get back?”
Kate had asked a practical question and Danu was pleased.
“Call 8504922 as I said, that is your Time-line Kate.”
“What if I forget or dial the wrong number in my head?”
“Find a mirror if you can and then call me. You leave one Time-line by calling up another, but be careful, some are terrible places.”
“Terrible?”
“Time-lines are possibilities Kate. For example, what happened when Saturn became the Sun? Or for example, what happened when the moon crashed to earth. Every possibility has a Time-line.”
Kate thought about it.
“The Time-line I visit, is it possible that there is another similar Time-line where I did not visit?”
“When you visit a Time-line you affect its future Kate. Time-lines are very complicated.”
“What is your Time-line Danu?”
“My Time-line is called ‘Tir-na-n’ogh’, that is Gaelic for the land of the young. In my Time-line nobody really grows old. Someday I will tell you the number. It is a very special place.”
“Can I visit?”
“If you visit it is very hard to return, so maybe once, maybe a lot later Kate.”
“O.K. I’d like to visit you.”
“Kate
do you remember the numbers I gave you?”
”I’ve written them
down in my book of spells.”
“Don’t lose the numbers as you need them to return.”
“No worry.”
“Kate, I believe you told me your brother has a collection of stones?”
“Yes?” Kate was surprised at the turn of the conversation. “My dad is an amateur Geologist and he collects unusual rocks and things.”
“This
is why you are chosen for the mission Kate. You must bring a
particular meteorite stone with you. One that contains iridium, a
rare metal.”
“Iridium?”
“Iridium is brought to your Time-line by the impact of meteorites.”
“I think Dad gave his collection to Ben.”
“Get Ben to bring that meteorite stone please.”
“Right.”
“Remember Kate, this is very important…”
“What?” Kate asked as Danu paused.
“All time-lines are at the exact same time Kate.”
“Yes?”
“But
Kate each time-line is a different possibility.”
“So what is
happening there is happening in the same minute as in every other
Time-line?”
“In the same second, minute, hour and year, Kate.”
“OK.”
“But
Kate different histories have taken place in each time-line.”
“So
they will be in the present time but not the same world, different
things will be happening?”
“Well done Kate I knew you would be
quick.”
“Fine, thanks.”
“Kate the world you go to will be modern but not like you know it.”
“What
will it be like?”
“Kate you won’t be there for long but be
prepared to be surprised.”
“And what do you want me to do Danu?”
“Kate
I want you to go to 4941072 and there you will meet a lost boy called
Conchobar.”
“Lost?”
“Well Kate he seems to have de-activated his Bracelet, which is the same as yours Kate.”
“De-activated?
Does this mean it won’t work?”
“Right Kate. He took it off
in the portal, and this has de-activated it.”
“He’s in the portal?”
“He is in the same portal as you Kate. He came to the fairy field but from a different time-line and he went to time-line 4941072.”
“So if I go to 4941072?”
“Yes Kate you will arrive in the Portal, in the Fairy Field, but it will be in a different time-line.”
“How do you know this Conchobar is in the Portal?” Kate asked.
“Our systems tell us the Bracelet was de-activated in the portal. We need you to go there and get Conchobar and if you can to re-activate his bracelet.”
“Using
this Iridium?”
“Well-understood Kate. You should only be a few
hours.”
The image began to fade and Kate climbed back under her bedcovers. Her brain was busy as she planned her mission.
She decided Ben should have his Hurley stick for protection, if needed. And she decided one backpack should be enough. Ben would carry everything in his backpack, including her book of spells and the meteorite stone.
She would explain all to Ben. Well maybe not all but enough to persuade Ben to accompany her to the mound in the Fairy Fort, the Portal to other time-lines.
Chapter five
King Olaf
“What next Kate,” Ben said as they arrived in the fairy mound under the Blackthorn Bushes.
“I don’t know why I am doing this,” Ben added.
“We need to,” Kate insisted.
“I should still be in bed asleep.”
“This is not a dream, we are on a mission,” Kate pointed out.
“It’s cold.”
“And you are Oisin, Celtic hero and my guardian,” she added.
“Why did you make me come to the Fairy Fort at this hour?”
Ben was uncomfortable, hardly able to see Kate in the dark just before dawn, and not really listening.
“The Fairy Fort is the portal,” Kate clarified, adding, “We have to save someone.”
As Kate explained she opened Ben’s backpack.
He couldn’t see because it was on his back.
“We have some sweets and some water, would you like some?” Ben offered.
“Is there a torch in the backpack, and some chocolate?” Kate asked.
“Yes, and I brought my Hurley Stick.” Ben said waving the stick, which he held in his hand.
“So you did.”
“But you insisted.”
“We
have to hold hands.”
“What?”
“Now.”
There was a flash of blue light, but if felt as if nothing had happened.
“What next?” Ben asked.
“Ssssh, I think he is coming,” Kate whispered.
“We should be home very soon,” she added.
They waited, listening to the noise at the narrow entrance through the Blackthorn.
Someone was coming.
“Did you bring the Meteorite stone?” Kate whispered.
“Yes,” Ben said but why do you want it?”
“Where is it?”
“It’s in my back pack beside the chocolate.”
He began to wonder was he really there or was he still in bed having a dream.
“Someone is coming in,” Kate hissed urgently.
Ben shone his torch in the direction of the noise.
The large Orang-utan froze as he came into the light of Ben’s torch, eyes gleaming in reflection of the light.
Ben nearly dropped the torch in amazement.
“You’re an Orang-utan,” Kate said. “I’ve seen you in the zoo.”
Ben raised his Hurley stick in his free hand and braced himself while keeping the torch on line. The Orang-utan looked very strong.
The Orang-utan made gesture as it spoke, a combination of sign language and voice, and Kate found that she could understand, whereas all Ben noticed was gibberish.
“I am King Olaf,” the Orang-utan said. “This is my place, you must leave or I kill you.”
“Nonsense,” Kate said firmly.
Olaf held back unsure of what he was up against.
“We are looking for Conchobar. He’s a thirteen-year-old human boy. Have you seen him? He is supposed to be here.”
“You are humans?” Olaf said, a cunning gleam coming into his eye.
“Conchobar is a troubled teenager. He ran away from home, we were sent by Danu to fetch him.”
Olaf folded his huge muscular hairy arms, now relaxed. He knew he was well a match for two human children and felt more in control.
“One like you came to here, into this that is my place, for me only, the place of King Olaf.”
“Yes?” Kate said, trying not to be impatient, she was not used to long-winded Orang-utans.
“So I gave him to the Raptors. They gave me bananas,” Olaf said with a wave of his arms.
“The Raptors?” Kate asked wide-eyed.
“The Masters,” Olaf explained.
“You gave Conchobar to Raptors?” Kate was outraged.
“Yes, they farm this land, we are all their food.”
“Food?”
“Your sort, human sort very tasty for Raptors, gourmet food. They give many bananas.”
“Nonsense,” Kate was cross. “No one eats Orang-utans. You can’t be food, why would they give you bananas if they want to eat you?”
“Call me King Olaf,”
Olaf disliked the tone in Kate’s voice and drew himself up, speaking with full authority but without obvious menace.
“Very well King Olaf,” Kate conceded, sensing he was becoming annoyed.
Ben watched them with a bemused expression, holding the torch steady. He could hear Kate’s side of the conversation and understood she and the big hairy ape were having some sort of a conversation.
“We better put out the magic light,” Olaf added, referring to Ben’s torch, which was beginning to hurt his eyes.
“Why?” Kate asked nervously.
“If they see light they will come.”
“Who?” Kate asked, adding, “Ben, lower the torch, point at the ground.”
“The Raptors,” Olaf said, beginning to wonder if humans were as intelligent as rumour had it they were.
Kate reluctantly told Ben to put out the torch.
She was in enough confusion talking to Orang-utans and was scared of having to deal with Raptors.
The mission was not going as smoothly as Danu had said it would.
She remembered Danu’s parting advice, ‘if there are any complications whatever return immediately and take no risks.’
But Kate did not want to fail on her mission and felt she needed to know more.
But Danu had also warned, ‘never leave the Fairy Mound because it is the portal for your return.’
Kate wondered what to do next as she heard the Orang-utan shuffle about.
Their eyes were becoming accustomed to the dark and soon it would be light and already the sun was beginning to create the early glow of dawn.
“What is outside?” Kate asked.
“We are in a field and there are cliffs down to the sea. The Farmhouse is in the next field and behind us the field runs up into the woods where my people live.”
“Your people are Orang-utans?” Kate sought to clarify.
Olaf snorted at the obvious question.
“Soon this field is full of Orang-utan,” he explained.
“What did he say, are you having a conversation Kate?” Ben asked in frustration.
“They feed us at dawn,” Olaf continued.
“It is getting very hot,’ Ben complained.
“Be patient Ben, the temperatures can be different in this time-line,” Kate said impatiently.
“By mid-day it will be a warm as a jungle.”
“Can you take us to Conchobar?” Kate asked Olaf, ignoring Ben’s remark, which of course Olaf only heard as sound not understood.
King Olaf seemed to consider, but Kate was worried as it was too dark to see what expression was on his face.
When Olaf spoke his voice was friendly and accommodating.
“You
humans stay until dawn. I will bring you to the Farmer at feeding
time.”
“The Raptor?” Kate asked in a horrified tone.
“He
will be pleased and give me lots of bananas.”
“But…”
“He will take you to your other human. He will feed you also.”
“O.K.” Kate said.
Kate explained to Ben. Ben produced some chocolate and passed it round.
“More!” King Olaf demanded when he got his first taste.
“In the morning, when we are safe,” Kate insisted.
But it was already sunrise.
Outside they began to hear a hubbub as numerous Orang-utan came down from the woods and began to assemble for feeding time.
Danu had explained to Kate about ‘Tir-na-nogh.’
“Here in ‘Tir-na-nogh’,” she had said, “no one grows old. Aging stops at age fifty-five. Also here every year takes fifty years of your normal time.”
“So it takes one thousand two hundred and fifty years to get to be twenty five?” Kate had calculated, horrified it took so long to grow up.
“Conchobar’s parents died. It was then he became troublesome, he’s a very troubled teenager.”
“Died? But I thought they couldn’t grow old?”
“Not in ‘Tir-na-nogh’, but if we travel to another Time-line the blessing of ‘Tir-na-nogh’ becomes a curse.”
“A curse?”
“If
we touch the earth in another Time-line then we of ‘Tir-na-nogh’
age to that Time-line equivalent in seconds. This is due to obscure
laws of physics and we accept this as a price for immortality.”
“Is
this what happened to Conchobar’s parents?”
“Conchobar’s parents died on a special mission in another Time-line.”
“So Conchobar could have aged and died after he ran away?” Kate had reasoned.
“You may find his bones Kate and if you do I’m sorry. But when we travel we wear protective clothing, it is only if his skin touches the soil, so hopefully he is wearing clothes, shoes and gloves. He has to be very careful.”
“So he ran away to Time-line 4941072?”
“Yes, and in that Time-line the Meteor that hit earth and destroyed the dinosaurs does not happen. The Meteor is caught in the gravity of Saturn and does not hit earth and the dinosaurs continue to evolve to your present time.”
“And humans?”
“As far as we know there are humans, but an endangered species due to over-hunting.”
Kate had swallowed hard.
“Rest,” Olaf said making a relaxed gesture for them to sit.
“Soon you will meet the Raptors,” he promised.
Chapter six
Raptors
“What do we do?” Ben whispered as the dawn began to creep through the Blackthorns.
They could make out clearly the shape of King Olaf where he snored and snorted, lying across the exit, blocking any escape.
“We can’t go back without Conchobar, he’s sure to be eaten,” Kate replied in a low voice.
Kate explained to Ben what Olaf had said about Raptors and food.
“They might eat us,” Ben countered.
But as Oisin, hero of Irish folklore, he was ready to guard his queen Danu, even if she was his sister Kate.
The shuffling noise outside increased in intensity as the sun rose above the horizon.
What sounded like a foghorn sounded out across the field and the hubbub grew in volume.
Olaf snorted and awoke with a jump. He eyed Ben and Kate suspiciously but was pleased when Ben shared the remainder of the chocolate.
“We go feed now,” King Olaf said, indicating they should follow him.
“What ever happened to you?” Kate asked
Kate couldn’t help noticing in the improved daylight that Olaf had a limp and had large scars across his back.
King Olaf was pleased with the question.
“I am old now,” he explained. “The farmer makes me king. I survived the slaughter field. But I escaped wounded.”
“Wounded, the scars are a part of that?” Kate asked.
“The Raptors let me go but they showed me how to stay alive. They show how.”
“How?”
“If they want to feed I bring fresh Orang-utan into the slaughter field but they let me out the far end.”
“Like a ‘Judas goat’” Kate said, but Olaf just looked puzzled and indicated they should follow him.
The Fairy field served as a grassed clearing up to the fence. But beyond the low wall of the Fairy Field to the rear there was a forest.
From out of the forest hundreds of Orang-utan were making their way across the fairy field towards the feeding bays. Behind the feeding bays and the high fence they could see the farmhouse and its outbuildings.
“There is no proper food in the forest,” King Olaf explained as they walked across.
The other Orang-utan regarded them with curiosity but gave way in deference to Olaf anytime they approached.
King Olaf gestured to the forest and towards the big fence. “This is the Raptor Farmer’s land,” he explained. “Outside for as far as forever there is a big world where it is very unsafe for Orang-utan.”
“But in here they eat you,” Kate countered.
“This is our world,” King Olaf said sadly.
But he immediately brightened up.
“They will like you two,” he said, “give me major bananas.”
“You like bananas,” Kate remarked with a smile rather than a question as the answer seemed obvious.
“Yes, but they grow very far away. The Farmer gets them for us for feeding.”
As they came nearer to the feeding area, Kate and Ben stood in amazement.
They could see the raptors working machinery and loading the feeding bays. Busily they threw in leaves and bananas and berries, and the Orang-utan crowded about eagerly.
The Raptors were about eight feet from head to toe. They had a long tapering tail almost as long again. Their legs seemed powerful and on the end of each foot they had a huge claw, which they used to slash bales of bananas while manoeuvring them with their clawed hands.
The Raptors were wearing blue overalls but their long tails protruded from the rear end and Kate was taken with the green and blue feathers that covered their bare shoulders and arms and served as hair on their doglike heads.
They had savage mouths full of sharp teeth and sharp hard little eyes. Their eyebrows seemed to be curled feathers and their ears stuck up sharply on the sides of the heads like an alert dog, except that they seemed to be covered in small feathers rather than fur.
They moved in a quick birdlike manner and had voices that warbled and crackled and whistled.
The Raptors all stood stock still when they spotted Ben and Kate.
Then one of them began to offer bananas through the fence making warbling noises. Kate swallowed and felt like running.
King Olaf indicated to follow, and Ben took her hand and they went towards the fence.
****
In the front room of the farmhouse, the Raptor Farmer turned sharply, a frown on his gnarled forehead.
The rooms were large and laid out so that the long Raptor tail did not crash into everything as they turned, as they could, very quickly.
“What’s up?” the Farmer demanded.
“Two more humans,” the Farmhand explained, indicating for the Farmer to come look.
“Two, where did you get them?” he asked.
“King Olaf brought them to the fence so we rounded them up.”
The Farmer rubbed his chin with his wiry hand and walked a circle about Ben and Kate, examining them with his hard beady crafty intelligent eyes.
“I wonder is there a nest of them out in the woods?” he mused.
“They are young animals,” the experienced farmhand offered.
“I wonder would we find it?”
“They die too easily,” the farmhand said.
“But they must be breeding somewhere?”
“Not an easy crop to rear,” the farmhand added with a knowing shake of his head.
“None the less, a very valuable animal,” the Farmer commented.
“We’ll bring them to the Mart?”
“Maybe, they are sure to get a good price, the gourmet restaurants are crying out for feral stock. The humans they farm artificially in Norway are all very well but the Gourmets say the flavour is not the same as in the wild.”
“What will I do with them boss?” the farmhand asked, not an expert in exotic food flavours or market prices.
“We’ll pen them for the moment.”
“Where would you like me to store them?”
“I’ll show them to the children. Humans are a rare species these days.”
“You want to take them into the house?”
“Yes and before I forget, make sure King Olaf gets an extra ration of bananas. Sometimes I think old Olaf is intelligent. We must encourage him.”
“Yes boss, will do.”
“Leave them to me. I’ll herd them into the kitchen.”
“I’ll come back when I’ve have looked after King Olaf’s bananas,” the farmhand promised.
The Farmer used hand signals and ‘mush’ like sounds and whipped around with his long tail to steer Kate and Ben through a door that led into the kitchen.
“What’s this?” the farmer’s wife sounded aghast.
“More humans,” the farmer explained.
“So?”
“I thought I’d show the kids.”
“Get them out of my kitchen,” his wife snapped.
“But…”
“Dirty beasts,” she added with distaste.
“Just a minute,” the Farmer replied.
“Nahc, Asil, what do you think?” he added.
As he spoke he pushed Ben and Kate gently with his tail into full view of his children.
The two teenage Raptors turned and regarded Ben and Kate with hungry eyes.
“Can we have them for breakfast?” Nahc asked.
“I’m tired of Orang-utan,” Asil complained.
“Nonsense,” the Farmer’s wife chided.
“We can sell these for cash to the restaurants,” the Farmer pointed out.
“Just a bite,” Asil, who appeared to be feminine, asked.
She was moving very swiftly and opening her jaws.
Ben whacked her jaw with his Hurley stick and she jumped back in shock.
“Father!” the farmer’s wife said in alarm.
But the Farmer looked like he might burst his sides laughing.
“I told you not to play with your food,” he roared but Asil was not amused.
“Outside children,” the Farmer’s wife instructed firmly.
“Mom!” Asil protested.
“There’s a fresh Orang-utan in the slaughter area, go catch your breakfast and don’t be too long about it.”
“We have to get you to the school bus soon,” the Farmer reminded them.
“And be sure to put your eating bibs on. I don’t want to have to wash your school uniforms every time you eat,” the Farmer’s wife chided.
“I’ll put these two out with the other one,” the Farmer suggested as his kids ran out for breakfast.
“Yes, out of my kitchen if you please.”
His wife was cross and afraid of a mess.
“Just keep them away from the egg incubation room,’ she added. “Nahc and Asil’s little brother will hatch soon.”
“Don’t worry,” the Farmer said. “I’ll stick them in the cage.”
As he shooed them out the kitchen door the farmhand returned and assisted the farmer.
‘We’re to put them with the other one,” the Farmer explained.
The farmhand grunted and joined in herding the two children.
From a nearby enclosure they could hear the hoops of the young raptors and the cries of the captive Orang-utan they were chasing for breakfast.
“Those kids are growing up fast,” the Farmer remarked.
“I remember when they could only catch wild dogs,” the farmhand chuckled.
“I keep telling them not to play with their food,” the Farmer complained.
“Hunting builds them up,” the farmhand defended.
“They’ll be late for the school bus,” the Farmer added.
Together they steered Ben and Kate towards a large outhouse.
Chapter seven
Conchobar
Conchobar rose from his straw when he heard the noise as they entered the outhouse.
The Farmhand used the claw on his foot to pull back the cage door.
The Farmer ushered Ben and Kate forward into the cage and then the Farmhand closed the door again making sure the lever-lock was fastened.
“Worth a pretty penny,” the Farmer remarked as he viewed his prizes.
He pulled a lever to release water and bananas into a trough.
“I brought them in,” the farmhand reminded him.
“Don’t worry,” the Farmer said with a laugh-like warble. “You’ll get a bonus on sale.”
“I’ve never had a whole one,” the farmhand remarked.
“The restaurants will offer a good price,” the Farmer replied.
“Some say humans are wonderful roasted with Cashew nuts,” the farmhand added with a warble of a laugh.
“I don’t go for the fancy tuff,” the Farmer offered.
“I prefer my food freshly killed,” the farmhand agreed.
“Me too,” the Farmer said as they departed.
“You can’t beat an old style fresh kill after a chase,” the farmhand added.
“I wonder where they get the clothes in the wild?” the Farmer remarked.
“Furs and vegetable matter I believe.”
“Some say humans are intelligent but it’s hard to believe,” the Farmer added as they were leaving.
They carefully locked the outhouse as they left.
“I’m not going back, I don’t care who sent you,” Conchobar protested when the farmers were gone.