The King's Odyssey

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VENEFICIA PUBLICATIONS UK veneficiapublications.com veneficiapublications@gmail.com

Typesetting © Veneficia Publications

UK September 2021

Text © Scott Irvine

All images are from Scott Irvine and the public domain, and

were modified for cover by Diane Narraway

Edited by Veneficia Publications, with additional editing by Fi Woods.

The

King’s

Odyssey

by

Scott Irvine

The King’s Odyssey

The Oracle - 1

The Meadow of Delights - 11

Ogre Manor - 20

The Island of the Dead - 30

Crossing the Causeway - 42

Hard Labour - 54

Swan Feather - 67

Moon Magic - 80

Transformation - 90

A Man Again - 101

To the Beale - 109

Into the Underworld - 122

Cruachan’s Cave - 133

Eoaster Greetings - 144

Dead Cats Don’t Meow - 158

All the King’s Men - 170

Good Vibrations - 180

Astral Adventure - 192

Battle Stations - 203

Battle of Portland - 213

An ancient adventure of heroes and magic,

of witches and druids, and of love, seduction, and heartbreak

THE ORACLE

Allow me to tell you a tale of travel and adventure. It is the story of an ancestor of mine from long ago. His name was King Rufus and he ruled over the Kingdom of Vindocladia in the realm of Wessex, in the south of the island of Albion. This was at a time when the Gods and Goddesses were still revered and honoured by the people. Dragons ruled the skies, hobgoblins roamed in the deep forests, and sea nymphs lured men to a watery death. It was a time when faeries gathered at rivers and springs, and magic and spells were still being cast. Men followed the code of chivalry and women were ladies. It was a very long time ago.

Before dawn had a chance to paint the eastern sky with red and the morning songs of the birds began, a solitary figure slipped out of the castle unseen. The man walked confidently the hill to the sleeping village that surrounded the castle. The man wore a simple green cloak, not too flash nor too shabby. The hood covered his face as he quietly made his way through the village. He carried with him his trusty staff of holly. The man owned three staffs: an oak staff for its hardness that he used for fighting, a willow staff for its softness that he used for walking, and the one he had with him today.  The holly staff was best for general use: it was ideal for both fighting and walking. It was his favourite staff and he had named it Caliburn.

The man reached the edge of the village before turning back towards the castle for a final glance. It was his castle, for he was the King. King Rufus was his name, and he was starting out on an adventure that had been recommended by his prophet after reading the entrails of a goat.

‘King Rufus, my Lord,’ the prophet had declared, ‘the omens are telling me that you must go in search of a magical realm outside your kingdom. You must journey alone and in secret after the great Festivals of Beltane have finished.’

The King had heeded his prophet’s advice. The Beltane fires had burnt themselves out a week ago and the Stag Lord, the King of Nature, had descended into the world of man bringing with him the fresh spirit of nature. Leaves were starting to appear on the trees and flowers were starting to bloom. Cattle were being released into fields after the dark winter months. The land was coming alive once more. The King loved this time of year. It was a good time for a quest. He turned his back on his castle and the village. However, before stepping into the thick, darkness of the ancient forest that separated all the Kingdoms, he asked the Mother Goddess for guidance and protection.

*

Shafts of morning sun penetrated the forest as the King walked the well-defined path that headed towards the small hamlet of Muleburne, 10 miles east of his castle at Vindocladia.

Vindocladia was the meeting place of three major roads that connected his empire to New Sarum in the north, and the great stone temple beyond, Werham to the south by the Great Pool, and the town of Durnovana to the east in the shadow of the great castle of Dunium. The King’s prophet had told him to go in search of a magical realm, but he could not tell him where to find this land; however, he knew someone who could. Near to the hamlet of Muleburn lived the Oracle, Nimue, a priestess of beauty and wisdom. The King had used the Oracle several times in the past, and she had always proved to be correct in her prophecies. It was one of these prophecies that had led to him meeting his wife, princess Carolyn; the daughter of King Dalan and Queen Calatin, whose kingdom lay in the mountains of Gymry far out to the west.

Along with his staff, the King had brought a shoulder bag containing a purse of silver coins, a roll of twine, and some dried meat and bread the housemaid had prepared for him the night before., and He also carried a dagger that was fashioned by the mystical hands of the faerie folk. It was said that the blade would cut through any material and kill any demon or unearthly creature it stabbed. This magical blade, Rufus kept hidden in one of his sturdy leather boots.

The sun was high in the sky when the King neared Muleburn, as he sat by the River Pidele to rest and have a snack before visiting the Oracle. He found himself a spot under an old oak and ate a little of his bread and meat. While eating, the King thought back to the time of his first ever meeting with the Oracle, when he was still a young prince. His father, King Angus, had been away for some time fighting in the Brecon Hills of Gymry. He was helping one of his allies King Dalan to defend his Kingdom from Northern Pict invaders Things were not going well, and the King had sent a message for Prince Rufus to help the cause. The prince had a personal army of a hundred soldiers which he kept fighting fit, but Rufus did not agree with violence of any kind and had always been able to steer clear of warfare. King Angus had sent the young prince away at an early age, to New Sarum, to train in the art of fighting. Rufus preferred the staff over the sword, axe, bow, and spear to defend himself, as it was less likely to kill anyone. He was quite happy to crack a skull or two and break a man’s balls, leaving the killing to his troops. In fact, Rufus so enjoyed the feel of the staff that he practiced with it every day, even when his training had finished. Rufus considered himself to be the best staff fighter in the whole Kingdom of Wessex. He became so confident that he would command one of his troops to fire an arrow at him to catch in the wood of the staff. One day though, probably after too much wine, he tried to defend himself from two arrows, misjudged the flights, and was struck by one of the arrows in his right thigh. It hurt. The scar still remains to this day and reminds him of the incident when it niggles in cold conditions.

Anyway, as I have already mentioned, the prince had reservations about fighting wars that he considered none of his business, but at the same time he had a duty to his father. Rufus had heard about the Oracle and decided it was time to call on her for advice. Nimue readily welcomed the prince; she told him that going to help his father would set him up in good stead as the future king, and at the same time he would find the love of his life. On this advice, the prince took his army to Gymry and helped his father and King Dalan repel the invaders. In doing so, he won the respect of his father and King, and won the hand of Dalan’s eldest daughter: Princess Carolyn.

A rustle in the bushes broke his thoughts and Rufus automatically reached for Caliburn. He looked around for its source but could see nothing although he felt someone, or something, was watching him. The King decided it was time to move on and took a drink from the river before leaving. It was time to meet the Oracle.

*

Heading north upriver towards the Oracle’s temple, the King still felt that eyes were watching him from the undergrowth. He held his trusty staff close to his chest ready for an ambush. Suddenly, up ahead on the path a warrior appeared, dressed in leather armour, and carrying a short sword. Rufus found a good footing and held Caliburn ready to resist an attack. The warrior stood motionless, seemingly unconcerned at the King’s presence. Then, a beautiful woman wearing a gown of morning mist appeared from the same place as the warrior, stood by him, and held her hand out towards the King.

‘Rufus my friend, I have been expecting you,’ the woman spoke in a gentle voice. ‘Don’t mind the warrior, he is employed by me to guard against attacks from the hobgoblins.’ The King recognized her as the Oracle Nimue. ‘Times are changing fast,’ she continued, ‘I see a new god in my visions, sweeping all other gods and goddesses before him like a dark cloud from the east.’

He lowered his weapon and greeted the priestess with a kiss on the cheek. Nimue went on to tell the King about recent incursions of the hobgoblins around Muleburne and the surrounding areas, attacking the villagers and stealing food and cattle. The Oracle believed that a higher force was controlling the normally secretive creatures, making them behave in ways that stirred up the lives of mankind, but she could not think why.

‘I need your help to seek a magical realm outside my kingdom,’ the King told the Oracle.

Nimue walked back to her camp with Rufus, along a path through dense undergrowth.

‘I am sorry I have not yet been able to find out who abducted your son or why he was taken,’ spoke Nimue, as they entered the camp, which was encircled by standing stones. ‘I have been led to believe he is across the water in Armorica, being cared for by the faeries,’ she continued.

Armorica thought the King, the land of the Bretons; he knew it well. I bet Morgan le Fay was behind it, contemplated the King.

The King had spent some time in Armorica as a prince, studying the Art of War with a master from the east called Sun Tzu, and swordsmanship with the samurai Miyamato Musashi. These studies took place at Penpon, in the centre of the Enchanted Forest of Broceliande that covered most of the region of Armorica. It was here that he met Morgan le Fay, a beautiful faerie, but not one to be trusted. As beautiful and charming as the faerie was, the young prince was in love with his Gymrian princess and refused her advances, until she entranced him into making love to her in her cave. She tried to keep him prisoner for his unfaithfulness to his betrothed Carolyn  but, because she tricked him, he refused to stay with her and threatened to cut her head off unless she released him. Reluctantly, she let Rufus go, but swore she would get her own back.

She has taken my heir as revenge, thought the King.

Nimue had read his thoughts and told him not to jump to conclusions. She would find out for sure where his son was being held and inform him in due course. The King struggled to put the matter to the back of his mind as the pair made their way to a stone temple at the centre of the camp.

A young priestess came from a tent and motioned for the King to sit in a chair, before returning with a goblet of wine for him while Nimue prepared herself to talk to the gods. A fissure in the ground emitted vapours that induced an ecstasy in the Oracle as she sat on a golden tripod As the King watched and enjoyed his wine, Nimue started to utter strange words: the tongue of the angels. The sun was now at its zenith in the clear sky above the clearing that held the Oracle’s temple. Nimue seemed to ride on waves of emotions, one minute excited and poetic and the next, groaning and twisting her body as if in agony. Soon she was done and the young priestess who had served the King helped the exhausted Oracle from her golden stool and ushered her into the tent behind the King. He was deep in thought; the sight of the Oracle in action never ceased to amaze him every time he visited. It was a spectacular experience to see.

Shortly afterwards, the young priestess exited the tent and came to stand facing Rufus. It was she, who interpreted the words of the Oracle. The King finished his wine and put the goblet on the small table beside his chair. ‘The Oracle has spoken to the gods through the mediation of the angels,’ the priestess told the King. ‘This is the response the gods gave to your question regarding the location of the mystical land you seek,’ Rufus sat up in his chair. ’’Southern voices calling to you, mystic magic, and seas of blue. Timeless marvels cease to wonder when you know the spell, you’re under. Secret sounds of giant sea birds, singing songs of a lonesome end. Golden cats in temples of stone, the spells of time are your friend.’’

The King was a little surprised at the interpretation; it was not what he was expecting.

Timeless marvels? Golden cats in temples? This was no help.

‘It does not really tell me where I will find this mystical land,’ protested the King, ‘I do not understand its meaning.’

‘I can only relate what the Oracle spoke,’ asserted the priestess. ‘It is up to you to make of it what you will.’

Rufus scratched his head. He knew the priestess was telling the truth and could assist him no more. Rising from his seat he thanked the priestess, took a silver coin from his purse, and placed it in a bowl next to the tent. The priestess smiled at the King, and he kissed her on the cheek before making his way out of the temple site. He nodded to the warrior as he continued his journey westwards towards Tincladene and a bed before sundown.

THE MEADOW OF DELIGHTS

The riddle the Oracle had given