The Curse Conduit

It was only when the King and his army arrived at the battle ground camp site that any of the now newly afflicted members of the group realised that many of the men were no longer with them. They had left to take up their positions at the rear of the enemy. Although the size of the battalion that stayed with the King was considered small, for the travellers from the future it was still an intimidating force. As night was falling and they did not want to be a nuisance the little group took themselves off to sit by a fire. It was an unusual gathering. No sound, no conversation to speak of, at least to those that looked on. It was as if they all sat in silence contemplating their future. They were indeed doing just that but not silently. Elizabeth was still a little unnerved at what had happened and could not understand why this time they had not been flung in time somewhere like before. As she touched Derek on the arm she wanted to know why this did not cause the reaction. Had it just been timing? If she had touched Derek out on the road instead of Uriah would it still have happened? No one could answer her questions; they had enough un-answered questions of their own to deal with.

Uriah, Urian and Uri at different times tried to put the others at ease. It was no use looking at their situation logically as much as this point wearied the three men the most; they also understood it was a futile waste of time and energy. What they needed to do now was concentrate on the job at hand. Not getting killed.

The King was captivated at what he saw unfold while he watched them. He began to understand who was talking by watching the eyes of the others. It amused him to see the expressions on their faces change as the conversation carried them along. Shaking heads and waving hands, shoulder shrugs and those looks that females give to each other. They could carry out a conversation in silence but when it came to singing they just could not hold themselves in. The King as well as his men where a little startled when the group exploded into song. Loud, crisp voices rang out over the night. Somewhere along the line this group he now watched had decided a new song was needed. Derek had suggested a song he had heard the Irish rugby team sing at the beginning of a game he had gone to see with a friend. The passion of the fans combined with the passion of the song had stuck with him so much so that he had remembered the words. Words he had taught to this little band of warriors. They changed a few words to make it fit with where they were but as they sang the song echoed over the forest and each one was convinced that this song had the power to help them.

Irelands Call

Come the day

And come the hour

Come the power and the glory

We have come to answer

Our country’s call...

From the proud, proud provinces of Briton

(chorus)

Briton, Briton

Together standing tall

Shoulder to shoulder

We’ll answer Briton’s call.

Briton, Briton

Together standing tall

Shoulder to shoulder

We’ll answer Briton’s call.

Hearts of steel

And heads unbowing

Vowing never to be broken

We will fight, until

We can fight no more...

From the proud, proud provinces of Briton

Briton, Briton

Together standing tall

Shoulder to shoulder

We’ll answer Briton’s call.

Getting further into the song, more confident they stood with the powerful voices of the men and the sweet sounds of the women all blending into a magical veil that covered the forest. A veil that became thick with hundreds of voices as the knights began to sing the chorus with them.

Briton, Briton

Together standing tall

Shoulder to shoulder

We’ll answer Britons call.

The King stood proud watching and listening to his men sing. His wish was that the enemy could hear them. Their strength, their courage.

The King’s wish had been granted. The wind was in their favour and the sound of the army singing rumbled into the enemy camp. As the sound and the words fell on their ears, fear herself made a home in their hearts, chilled them to the bone, for on the wind not only did they hear the sound of the men, they heard the voices of Elizabeth, Bethie and Beth-Elena. It was this sound that crumbled many a man’s resolve that night.

The King’s rear guard hiding in the forest had also heard their fellow knights, they also saw many an enemy knight creep away in the darkness, sometimes passing within a few feet of their hiding places. It would have been so easy to thrust a dagger into the sides of the retreating men but somehow this did not seem right. They were leaving, all the fight, all the courage had left them. They would not return. It was best to leave them to their journey home and take with them a tale that would surely have more of an effect than any battle.

As the song began to fade the King went down to stand next to his newly appointed knights, his niece among them and began to sing the chorus again taking Beth-Elena’s hand as he did. The others took their cue from him and continued to sing and once again they joined hands. One at a time they grasped hands around the circle until the final pair met, this being Elizabeth and the King. It was as if they had been spurred on by the sound of the knights and the song, each one feeling a new power, a new strength growing inside, and defiance. By holding hands they were saying we are here and we are ready for anything.

Elizabeth grasped the King’s hand just as they began to sing the chorus again. As she did a blinding bolt of lightning cracked and exploded from the middle of the circle upward into the sky. Once above the tree tops this single bolt sent fingers of electricity out across the night sky in every direction, lighting the forest as if it was day for a split second. In the circle hands tightened around hands, voices of knights rose to a new level, thunder rolled across the heavens and they all continued to sing.

More of the enemy lost their individual battles with fear and retreated, watching the sky as if the stars were jeering at their cowardice.

And the King, still singing with his knights began to birth a new plan. Dawn would surely bring with her a victory.