not know. Therefore, as fears are wont to do lacking fresh fuel to feed their flames, mine dimly smoldered.
I sat on the ground in the night, my back against the outer wall of my dormitory. A single candle cast dim light upon the vellum codex open on my knees. My eyes quickly scanned across the Greek characters as I studied the principles of language. As was often the case, I marveled that the mind of one man could create such a remarkable thing as a book, and that others accurately transcribed each page time and again in breathtaking artistic detail.
“Psst! Ossian!”
He stood in darkness, but I knew the voice.
“Laoidheach, it is very late,” I whispered. “Everyone is already abed. Why are you here?”
“Do you think you are alone in finding something of interest at a late hour? Put away your book and follow me, for I have a fresh flagon of ale under my arm and two willing women nearby.”
I chortled, thinking of the single-minded purpose of Laoidheach’s life. “Away with you, rogue! I have studying to do and an early morning lecture.”
“Bah! Studying and lectures? What matter when women anxiously await your intimate attention? Come. Opportunity awaits!”
It was a rare occasion when I escaped the sensuous traps Laoidheach laid for me and this night was no exception. Within a short time we lay on the floor of a Kilcullen cottage in the arms of women who until that night I had never met. I winked to Laoidheach that he would know I approved his latest discovery.
The buxomly lass lying beside me trailed her finger across my bare chest and cooed, “So, Wise One, is it true that Druids have extraordinary powers?”
I drank from the flagon of ale, and whispered, “Yes, but they are at their best when demonstrated in privacy. The back room there, shall we enter it that I might show them to you?”
Much later I lay beside her, regaining my breath. I began to roll from her, but froze when I heard men’s voices outside the cottage.
“What is it?” she murmured.
“Men are outside.”
“Oh no! My husband!”
What was that? Her husband? I silently damned Laoidheach as I hurried into my robe and sandals. The voices outside continued and then I heard the clank of metal on metal. It was not one man or even a few. Many men were moving out there, stealing quietly through the night, skulking in the direction of the school.
I groped my way through the darkness into the front room, and in a quiet voice called Laoidheach. There was no response so I began to feel about on the floor in search of him.
At last I found a leg, a leg attached to a body. I nudged him with my toe and again called to him, my voice low. “Laoidheach! Laoidheach, wake up!”
Once more I nudged him and called his name, and received a muffled groan in response. Outside surrounding the cottage were footsteps, the sounds of large groups of men stumbling through the darkness.
Something was amiss. Something was happening out there and my mind reeled with sinister possibilities.
“Laoidheach!” I leaned down and shook his shoulder. “Wake up, damn you! We must get out of here!”
“Get out?” he mumbled. “Get out? Why?”
My thoughts leaped to the one thing that would start Laoidheach moving. “There are men outside. You must hurry. Perhaps these women’s husbands are returning.”
“Their husbands!” He leaped to his feet, scrambled into his clothes and whispered, “We mustn’t use the door—the husbands may be waiting out there. Listen, there’s an open window beside me. Come on, that’s our way out.”
We hastened through the window and stood in the dark, listening. The sounds of groups of men could still be heard but were growing faint as they neared the school.
Laoidheach was disgusted. “The women’s husbands, eh? How many husbands do they have? There must be a hundred men out there.”
“Their husbands is a matter I intend to discuss with you later. I had to get you out of there, don’t you see? Those men are
I sat on the ground in the night, my back against the outer wall of my dormitory. A single candle cast dim light upon the vellum codex open on my knees. My eyes quickly scanned across the Greek characters as I studied the principles of language. As was often the case, I marveled that the mind of one man could create such a remarkable thing as a book, and that others accurately transcribed each page time and again in breathtaking artistic detail.
“Psst! Ossian!”
He stood in darkness, but I knew the voice.
“Laoidheach, it is very late,” I whispered. “Everyone is already abed. Why are you here?”
“Do you think you are alone in finding something of interest at a late hour? Put away your book and follow me, for I have a fresh flagon of ale under my arm and two willing women nearby.”
I chortled, thinking of the single-minded purpose of Laoidheach’s life. “Away with you, rogue! I have studying to do and an early morning lecture.”
“Bah! Studying and lectures? What matter when women anxiously await your intimate attention? Come. Opportunity awaits!”
It was a rare occasion when I escaped the sensuous traps Laoidheach laid for me and this night was no exception. Within a short time we lay on the floor of a Kilcullen cottage in the arms of women who until that night I had never met. I winked to Laoidheach that he would know I approved his latest discovery.
The buxomly lass lying beside me trailed her finger across my bare chest and cooed, “So, Wise One, is it true that Druids have extraordinary powers?”
I drank from the flagon of ale, and whispered, “Yes, but they are at their best when demonstrated in privacy. The back room there, shall we enter it that I might show them to you?”
Much later I lay beside her, regaining my breath. I began to roll from her, but froze when I heard men’s voices outside the cottage.
“What is it?” she murmured.
“Men are outside.”
“Oh no! My husband!”
What was that? Her husband? I silently damned Laoidheach as I hurried into my robe and sandals. The voices outside continued and then I heard the clank of metal on metal. It was not one man or even a few. Many men were moving out there, stealing quietly through the night, skulking in the direction of the school.
I groped my way through the darkness into the front room, and in a quiet voice called Laoidheach. There was no response so I began to feel about on the floor in search of him.
At last I found a leg, a leg attached to a body. I nudged him with my toe and again called to him, my voice low. “Laoidheach! Laoidheach, wake up!”
Once more I nudged him and called his name, and received a muffled groan in response. Outside surrounding the cottage were footsteps, the sounds of large groups of men stumbling through the darkness.
Something was amiss. Something was happening out there and my mind reeled with sinister possibilities.
“Laoidheach!” I leaned down and shook his shoulder. “Wake up, damn you! We must get out of here!”
“Get out?” he mumbled. “Get out? Why?”
My thoughts leaped to the one thing that would start Laoidheach moving. “There are men outside. You must hurry. Perhaps these women’s husbands are returning.”
“Their husbands!” He leaped to his feet, scrambled into his clothes and whispered, “We mustn’t use the door—the husbands may be waiting out there. Listen, there’s an open window beside me. Come on, that’s our way out.”
We hastened through the window and stood in the dark, listening. The sounds of groups of men could still be heard but were growing faint as they neared the school.
Laoidheach was disgusted. “The women’s husbands, eh? How many husbands do they have? There must be a hundred men out there.”
“Their husbands is a matter I intend to discuss with you later. I had to get you out of there, don’t you see? Those men are
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