After the battle Drustina is forced to address her pregnancy and forthcoming parturition.

The arrival of her second set of twind brings home the hurt and confusion caused by her duality that drives her on the one hand to pursue her enemies in Cymru and punish them whilst hating to have to leave her babies behind to continue the Pharoic dynasty.

This chapter explores the hurt and confusion caused by these two conflicting issues in Drustina's life.

The Angry Mermaid 38.

Or

Y Morforwyn Dicllon. 38

Mabina. The youngest daughter and Twin to
Drustan Her twin brother.
Grandpa Erin the twins grandfather.
Giana The twins grandmother
Caderyn The twins father.
Herenoie The twins wise and beautiful mother.
Morgaran The Twins oldest brother.
Aiofe The twins oldest sister. Famous for her beauty.
Tara The twins second oldest sister. Famous for her grace.
Feidlim Twins aunt (Caderyns’ beautiful sister.)
Mogantu Twins uncle (Married to Feidlim.) Chief of the Gangani tribe.
Brun. Twins 2nd cousin and the Acaman clans’ blacksmith.
Feorin. Twins second brother. Also training to be a blacksmith.
Rhun Feidlims’ son and Feorins’ favourite 1st Cousin. (Both red-heads.)
Arina Child of a Demetae fisherman, (rescued by Aiofe, Drustan and Mabina.)
Penderol Dumnonii Minor chief.
Udris Young Dumnonii warrior.
Dryslwyn High chief of the whole Celtic nation. Dwells in Brithony.
Bronlwyn Dryslwyn’s wife (and queen.)
Magab The moor who taught numbers.
Eric Saxon galley slave rescued from Corsair pirates.
Carl Another Saxon galley slave rescued by Drustan.
Torvel Celtic galley slave rescued from the same captured corsair ship
Arton. Turdetani Chieftain Holder of Gibral Rock.
Carinia Arton’s wife.
Isobel. Arton’s adopted daughter.
Appotel King of the Turdetani Tribe. (Southern Iberia.)
Bramana Queen. (Wife of Appotel)
Pilus King of the Capetani.
Shaleen Pilus’s queen and sister to Bramana.
Pedoro Lord Marshal of the Southern border region.
Lady Shulaar Lord Pedoro’s wife.
Taan. The scullery maid.
Isaar. Pedoro’s oldest son.
Ferdie Pedoro’s 2nd son
Sular Pedoro’s 3rd son
Gontala Pedoro’s youngest son.
Shenoa Pedoro’s only daughter.
Portega. Tyrant King to the west.
Portua. Portega’s grandson.
Jubail. Old Fisherman.
Mutas Magab’s younger brother and usurper.
Walezia King of Malta.
Alviar Megalomaniacal bishop of Carthage. (Hates Drustina.)
Ethelia Female healer who treats Drustina during her pregnancy.
Seripatese Drustina’s faithful horse.
Astos & Amitor Minor royalty who govern Alexandria. King and Twin Queen.
Meronee Nubian Queen of Nobatia The northern Kingdom of the Nubians.
Horam The Egyptian master Boat builder.
Muraa King Astos’s male partner.
Tuk Makurian general.
Fantu. Makurian Captain.

It took four days for The Mermaid to race north with a favourable wind and the rising Nile flood to speed her journey. At each cataract a team of helpers assisted the sturdy ship through the hazards while Arina preened herself with glory steering the craft and Drustina rode gently along the bank in case there were any mishaps. The floodwaters had changed the cataracts to dangerous torrents for the rains in Central Africa and the Ethiopian highlands had been particularly heavy that year.
As Drustina watched the mermaid thrashing and swinging in the white water she turned to Meronee.

“I’m glad I’m not aboard that in my current condition. This bump makes me so-oo clumsy!”

Meronee smiled a little wistfully.

“You’re right, you could never jump about like Arina is doing, just look at her everywhere at once attending to the ropes! She then turned enviously to Drustina and patted her gently on ‘the bump’.

“I hope I’m like that soon.”

Drustina frowned and sucked her lip thoughtfully. She also wanted Meronee to be with child by her cock because it would prove to Drustina that she was fertile both as a man as well as a woman.

‘What use was it having both sets of equipment if they didn’t both work? It was just a bloody nuisance and an invitation to abuse and condemnation.’

She smiled and rested her hand over Meronee’s as they both watched the Mermaid dancing furiously in the white waters. It was dangerous. Drustina spoke of her concerns then added.

“We, or rather you, should extend the lock and canal system to include the upper cataracts. It would help settle many issues of ownership and organisation on the river and its waters.”

Meronee turned and nodded.

“Now there, my dear young queen; speaks the mind of the true stateswoman. You see, you are turning into a planner and builder. They are essential elements of statesmanship. The very same thoughts were crossing my mind. It would also improve trade as well and that improves communication and that improves relations between our countries.”

Drustina smiled and nodded, pleased at the praise heaped upon her by a lady who was her hero. She mounted Seripatese very carefully and they plodded along the bank to arrive where the Mermaid was already tied up and waiting.
“What kept you?” An elated Arina asked as she sat still savouring the thrill of the descent.

“This,” Drustina replied as she patted her swollen belly.

“Well let’s not be loitering,” Meronee cautioned them. “If you want that baby born in Egypt we’d best be getting on.”

Drustina and the rest of the royal party clambered into her familiar ship and within minutes, Arina was pushing the faithful craft north again to take advantage of the rising floods.

As she stared attentively down the river, Arina’s gaze occasionally turned affectionately to her erstwhile companion. Drustina caught her glances and smiled back then Arina became pensive.

“What’s wrong comrade?” Drustina asked as Meronee turned to listen.

“I feel like a traitor Dru.”

“Why?”

“Well, Fantu wants me for his bride.”

Drustina fell silent. The fears she had felt since noticing their affection for each other had finally come to be. Drustina sighed and smiled bravely.

“I’ll miss you. Do you really love him?”

“Yes.”

A tear came to Arina's eye as she ‘confessed’ her feelings.”

“I do love him. I ache in here every time he’s with me and yet I feel guilty about betraying you. After all, I know you had expectations. I’m just so sorry to hurt you. My promises to you were made as a child in the flush of gratitude and hero worship. I thought I knew my own heart but it was a sort of puppy love. This, this ache for Fantu is just so different; I know it’s the real thing. I’m sorry; I’m so sorry for betraying you, for hurting you.”

Drustina sighed. ‘Another hope gone, another ambition to put aside in her lifetime quest to recover her beloved Lleyn.’

Arina sensed Dru’s disappointment and reached out apologetically.

“Do you mind? If I stay here in Makuria with him, that is?”

“Not if you’re happy, and he promises to always look after you.”

“I’ll see he does that!” Queen Meronee interrupted. “The Makurian King owes me some huge favours and one of them is to protect and care for a heroine of that battle. I’ll make Arina my ambassador to Makuria if she wishes, then she’ll always have diplomatic protection.”

Drustina smiled bravely but it hid the pain of parting.

"Will you come north as far as Memphis with me? At least to see my baby born. I'd like that."

Arina nodded.

“I had every intention of that. Makurian custom requires a man to court his intended for a full year. There’ll be no marriage for many a moon yet.”

Drustina sagged with relief and fell into a thoughtful silence. She had very mixed feelings about surrendering yet more of her children and yet her need to recover her land and punish the thieving Norsemen drove her like a thousand evil spirits. She could never rest until she had avenged the death of her family and put right the mighty wrong. She secretly knew that she would make a terrible mother until this wrong was righted and if it was never righted she would die an angry and embittered soul, useless to man nor beast. Her stomach tightened with a hot sense of injustice and she felt the acid bile burn her throat as her stomach churned. Her baby kicked knowingly and she cursed the brutal Norsemen silently, though Meronee seemed to sense the forces that tormented her acolyte. She came and sat beside Drustina and laid her arm around her shoulders.

“It drives you doesn’t it?”

Tears forced their way to Drustina’s eyes as she fought to hide her feelings. Finally she was forced to declare her despair to Meronee.

“They stole everything, they destroyed everything. I just want to get it back and put it right.”

“You cannot resurrect the dead Drustina.”

“No, but I can avenge them.”

“Did you not do that when you killed Blueface?”

Drustina had no answer and yet felt there were a dozen answers. In her confused mind it was hard to separate the various wrongs ... the murders, the loss of her family, the theft of her family’s land and the destruction of the beautiful oak plantations that they had nurtured upon that same land for hundreds of years; the exile she had been forced to endure coupled with the immense distances she had travelled in her search for justice and retribution and finally, finally the sword she had been compelled to take up time and time again as she was forced to ‘earn her corn’ by the only way she knew how. Drustina was tired of fighting, of always resorting to the sword to win her arguments, to avoid persecution and prevent any hurts; not forgetting helping others.

She lay back on the spare sail under the little bow cuddy and closed her eyes as a weariness overtook her. Whether it was the forthcoming birth or a mood of resignation, she knew not. She only knew she wanted to find some peace. Meronee sensed Drustina’s lassitude and gently laid a blanket over the girl’s already sleeping body. As she crept silently away she put her finger to her lips to command silence throughout the little craft. Soon the murmuring stopped and only the hiss of water around the slicing stem and rattles of the rigging disturbed the silence. These were noises as familiar to Drustina’s ear as rain on her back and wind in her long blond hair. They caused no disturbance to her sleep. As evening fell the Mermaid sped silently north eating up the miles in its race to the next cataract.

And so it went for several days with the upper cataracts interrupting the passage while the lower ones were bypassed by the locks and canals built by progressive Egyptian and Nubian pharaohs. During the whole passage, Drustina hardly spoke but to ask for food and the only company she would tolerate was Meronee. The Nobatian queen was concerned, she had seen such moodiness in expectant mothers before and she feared for Drustina’s sanity. To everybody’s relief, when they reached Philea, which served as the border town between Nubia and Egypt, King Astos was waiting expectantly on the bank. Drustina perked up slightly and that night she went into labour.

Superhuman efforts were invoked to ensure The Mermaid arrived in Egypt before the delivery but it was a remarkable finale. As the vessel entered the lower lock and the actual border betwixt the kingdoms, Drustina brought forth a baby girl. Both Meronee’s Healer and Astos’s healer attended in the bow of the mermaid while both crowned heads sat expectantly at the foot of the mast while Drustina cried and cursed loudly.

“My child is born in Nobatia! It is not Egyptian!”

“Silence woman!” The healers commanded. “The Mermaid is about to slip the lower lock gates and that puts her in Egypt. There is another child! You are having twins.”

“What! Twins! Again?! Shit! It’s always double the pain for me!”

Drustina cursed even as the lowest lock gates opened and the Mermaid nosed carefully into Egyptian waters.

“Twins,” she half smiled then screamed again as labour pains betook her for the second time. “Not a-bloody-gain.”

“We expected it.” The healers told her. “Your first is a daughter. We await your second but now we are in Egypt.”

“Pray God let it be a son!” Astos cried. “My sister Amitor has born a daughter.”

“Pray to God it is born healthy.” Meronee added to remind the king of the greater importance.

And it was.

To everybody’s delight, a son was born and he cried lustily. Drustina slept but already preparations for celebrations were being spread throughout Egypt.

Later that day, as evening betook them, The Angry Mermaid tied up at a common mercantile quay where Drustina awoke to ask for her babies. They were brought to her and the natural mothering processes were indulged. Queen Meronee and Arina watched enviously while Colonel Fantu went ashore and celebrated with wine as he congratulated King Astos on his success as a father.

“Well, you’ve proved yourself a man Sire; you filled her up with two babies.

The king’s healer heard this remark and boldly corrected the colonel.

“Be sure sire. The Twins are Drustina’s part in this happy event. Her first birth was twins and I would not be surprised if any future births are twins. She is one of twins and she has this strange duality. Be sure my dear colonel, the twins are Drustina’s doing.”

Fantu then exposed his Christian, monotheist, chauvinist preconceptions.

“But she just bears the children like the soil in the field bears the corn. It was Astos’s seed that grew in her!”

“If it is Astos’s seed my dear colonel, then where did the girl child come from? Are you saying King Astos is part girl?”

Fantu swallowed hastily and nervously. King Astos’s obvious femininity was a touchy subject.

“I uhhm ... no!”

“Exactly my dear colonel. The woman brings her part to every birth and while neither you nor I nor anybody understands the magic, be assured that motherhood is by far the greater part! I’m sure you will have noticed; children can follow their mothers every bit as readily as they follow their fathers. There is as much a part of the mother in every child as there is the father. That I can vouch for; for I have attended upon hundreds of births ... and watched the children grow!” He added softly.
Fantu replied in a much more subdued tone.

“Very well healer. I must bow to your greater knowledge.”

The healer nodded and smiled a little condescendingly before producing another flagon of wine to make the king, the colonel and himself totally drunk. When they staggered back to The Mermaid Queen Meronee scolded them like naughty children and sent them packing to an inn to spend the night so as not to disturb the sleeping mother. As an extra precaution she slept on the Mermaid close to Drustina while Arina and Meronee’s female healer slept guarding the twins. On the quay, a whole platoon of Astos’s guard kept watch. The rest of the accompanying fleet moored up and down the quay to provide an additional boundary of safety. After the trouble with Astos’s cousin, nobody was taking any chances with the new prince and princess.

With the birth completed and the second child, the boy child, delivered safely in Egyptian territory, all the stress and tension in the voyage was evaporated. The Mermaid spent two days alongside and the little trading port of Aswan took on something of a festive air as celebrations went apace. Despatches were sent to all parts of the kingdom but not least to advise Torvel and Amitor of the splendid events. During the two days spent celebrating below Aswan, a proper, royal progress was organised and the little fleet that had raced down from Khartoum now grew to an armada of impressive royal barges. Most had accompanied King Astos on his journey south to meet Drustina in anticipation of the birth so it was a simple task to turn the king’s flotilla into a veritable fleet of ships. When the royal party arrived in Memphis it seemed the whole of Egypt had turned out to welcome the royal family. Drustina was overwhelmed by the celebrations and felt embarrassed to be the centre of so much attention. She was however delighted to find that Torvel and Amitor had made it their business to come to Memphis to join the celebrations. She was also delighted to see Amitor’s daughter and congratulated the king’s sister on her success.

“It’s hard to reconcile the fact that these two are expected to marry. They’re first cousins. Our culture wouldn’t normally encourage first cousins to marry.”

“Well it was legal during Pharoic times and it’s legal according to the bible.” Amitor shrugged. “Anyway, our healers say there is a good blood mix now. Torvel is in no way related to you so there’s a safe bloodline.”
Drustina fell silent. She knew that first cousin’s marrying was something she and her Celtic kinsmen would have avoided. She broached the next issue and it was a painful one.

“Will you be caring for my babies when I’m gone?”

Amitor nodded then stared wonderingly at the warrior queen who had travelled so far and done so much.

“I could never abandon my children.”

Drustina felt a stab of pain; it seemed that Amitor was criticizing her.

“I’m not abandoning them. Both you and their father will be raising them. Astor dotes on them; he’s more like a mother to them than a father.”

“But you’re their mother. How can you forsake your own flesh?”

Drustina felt a bitter heat growing in her belly. How could she explain to Amitor just how driven she was; just how wounded by hatred and motivated she was by the despair when her family and her home were torn from her by fire and sword? This was something of a downside to Drustina’s duality ... the male urge to avenge her loss. The inability to ever forgive the brutal barbarians who had so destroyed her childhood and happiness.

She had survived the early loss of her mother caused in part by her own arrival and then the loss of virtually her whole family to the Norsemen’s swords. Drustina had never known a mother and now she was so damaged by her loss that she was now unable to recognise it as a loss. Her personality had become so deformed as to have frozen out just about all emotions but one, hatred. Of love and compassion and nurture, these humanities were lost to Drustina or at least, put on ‘hold’ until her mission was accomplished.

She couldn’t or wouldn’t answer Amitor’s question. It would open too large a can of worms. Instead she fell into a reflective silence that Amitor mistook for some form of remorse. It wasn’t though, for Drustina had already resolved to leave Egypt as soon as her children were weaned.

During those months, she finally impregnated Meronee and completed what she considered to be enough education to one day serve her own people ... her own nation.

Finally, King Astor concluded that he had established a stable and loyal governorship in Memphis and he could return to Alexandria which was his preferred residence. He and Queen Meronee parted company and Meronee returned to Nobatia with a belly full of fecundity. Drustina accompanied her king to Alexandria and she was pleased that Amitor, Arina, Torvel and Fantu decided to accompany them. On the passage north down the Nile she sensed that the others were planning something but whatever it was it did not seem aggressive or in any way dangerous. They arrived in Alexandria to find a letter requesting that Drustina attend at the court of the Byzantine emperor. As Drustina read it she frowned.

“Do I have to obey this? I could just sail due west and home to Britannia. I want to get home and start recovering my homelands.”

Astos read the missive and frowned. An invitation from the emperor was a virtual order. He explained this.

“Dear Drustina, if you ‘disobey’ this ‘invitation’ you could embarrass me and that might threaten my position here in my own kingdom. That, I must tell you, might also threaten the position of my children, that is — your children.

Drustina understood King Astos’s fears but she was not convinced.

“Why should I go north to Constantinople? If I return west by the way I came I might get an opportunity to stop by in Carthage and possibly recover my children now that the dammned bishop is dead.”

“That could be risky. You have no idea what sort of reception you’ll get. Remember the Roman bishops still hold sway in those parts.” Astos warned. I think it best that you at least wait until we can somehow sound out the mood in Carthage."

Drustina fumed. It seemed that everybody was conspiring to delay her plans and she had already lost enough time. She went to bed that night alone for Astos had returned to his first preferences, namely boyfriends. Drustina did not condemn him for this, Astor had never been dishonest about his sexuality and she accepted his situation. She had plenty to occupy her time with her newborn baby twins. The following morning at breakfast, Amitor reassured her about the emperor’s ‘invitation’.

“About his letter Drustina.”

“Yes. What of it?”

“Well it’s not a threat. You’re highly thought of in Constantinople.”

“Huh. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that kings and emperors can be very fickle.”

“Well at least give the emperor the chance to prove himself otherwise. All the ships coming from there tell of how highly you are regarded for stopping the piracy.”

“That’s been blown out of all proportion as well. All we did was capture one pirate ship and send another packing.”

Drustina bit into her fruit and sipped her wine thoughtfully as she played with her babies. Amitor smiled indulgently and took her own daughter in her arms before snuggling up close to the heroine of Khartoum.

“Your children will be safe here if you feel you must leave to recover your kingdom. Are they not my flesh and blood also? They are, after all, my brother’s children and I will rear them as my own. Your paying your respects to the emperor will reinforce their safety because he holds you in very high regard. I’m convinced he just wants to meet the warrior queen, the Lioness of Carthage and the ‘She-crocodile of the Nile’.”

Drustina pouted sulkily then her face broke into a grin.

“I’m not sure about that last title; crocodile ... I’m not that ugly surely.”

Amitor giggled with laughter and Arina found them laughing as she arrived for breakfast. She had been late due to ‘morning sickness’. Drustina studied Arina thoughtfully as the girl took her seat and immediately started eating ‘for two’.

“Would you want to meet with the emperor too?” She asked her hungry friend.

Arina paused between mouthfuls and frowned.

“Who’s going?”

“Me, Amitor, Torvel and several new appointees, not to mention a royal convoy of accompaniment. We’ll be going via Cypru and Kriti.

“I’m due to have my baby in a few months. Will we be safely arrived by the time I have him?”

“I would think so. My twins are almost weaned and Seripatese has weaned her foal. For once we go when I’m ready. If you want, we can rush on ahead in The Angry Mermaid and the rest of the royal convoy can follow on. You can come with me and my babies or follow on with the main fleet. They’ll have the doctors and such like with them. What we can do is wait at each island until the main convoy arrives and that way your journey will be divided up into longer stays ashore. Anyway, I don’t understand why you’re frightened. You’ve several months to go yet. Our journey could be over in a couple of weeks if we go for broke in The Mermaid.”

“I’ll talk to Fantu about it. Will Torvel be with us on The Mermaid?”

“I don’t know. Horam the boat-builder’s two sons will be with me. They’re dead keen on another adventure and they proved their worth at Khartoum.”

“I’ll think about it. If Fantu agrees I’ll come with you provided he can accompany me.”

“That’ll be five in the Mermaid or six if Torvel accompanies us. It shouldn’t be a problem.

“What about your babies?”

“They’ll be travelling with Amitor in the main fleet. She’ll be looking after them from now on.”

Arina fell silent for a moment then expressed her feelings.

“Don’t take me wrong because I know what drives you but I just couldn’t abandon my babies. That’s the only bit that seems to set you apart from other women.”

Drustina smiled ironically.

“Yeah, that and my cock. One day, one day maybe, I might see my children again but I don’t hold out much hope. Besides, my son is heir to the Pharaoh’s throne; he can never leave Egypt, permanently that is.”

Arina smiled softly and hugged her companion before explaining.

“I’ll come to Constantinople with you but beyond that, depends upon Fantu. I’m to be his wife come the next moon and then I will be loyal to him. Whither he goest I will go.”

“You’ve been reading too much bible my girl.” Drustina smiled sadly. She did not want to lose Arina but their paths looked as though they were parting. After Constantinople, who knew where? She rose from the table, Kissed Amitor and Arina then made her way to the practice yard and Archery butts to recapture her sword skills. If The Mermaid was to travel ahead and alone she would have to look to protecting herself. A woman travelling alone was always an invitation to some men.

o0o

After a week of preparation, mostly caused by Egyptian preparations of the royal convoy for Amitor and the babies, the convoy was ready to leave. The Angry Mermaid departed with the main convoy out of courtesy but as soon as they were out of sight of land, Drustina bid them goodbye until they arrived in Constantinople and soon the mermaid was speeding ahead. Horam’s two sons stood at the tiller beside Drustina with smiles of delight frozen onto their faces. They had never dreamed they would one day be sharing the navigation of the famous ship with her famous captain. In the bow, Arina and Torvel sorted through the equipment and re-arranged it with a practice born of years of sailing. At the rail, Fantu was chucking his guts up and oblivious to the sympathetic smiles from Dru and Arry. Dru turned to the two apprentices now promoted to navigators.

“Now he’ll know how his wife feels and perhaps he’ll be sympathetic when next she has the morning call.”

The older of Horam’s sons expressed concern.

“If he continues like that your majesty, he could die.”

“Dru smiled and patted his shoulder reassuringly.”

“Fear not my lad. I have medicine that will cure him shortly. Just let him suffer a bit and know what his wife is going through every morning.”

Both lads grinned and resumed steering while inspecting the valuable Roman chart that Drustina still referred to. The old Roman documents had proven to be one of The Mermaid’s most valuable assets after her speed, seaworthiness and manoeuvrability. Horam’s sons were truly impressed to learn of all these qualities as they practiced putting the ship through her paces under Drustina’s excellent supervision. Constantly they remarked about some newfound feature or aspect when Drustina showed them the qualities with which her wooden birth-child had been blessed. The Mermaid made excellent speed and on the third morning despite a constant headwind, they spotted the Cypru coast. A reference to the precious portfolio of charts soon identified Capo Gata that sheltered Lemeso from the north, west and southern winds. They all decided it would be a good landfall in view of the Northerly and Westerly winds prevailing.