Druids Ring              by: Destiny

 

The wind howled across the moors of Yorkshire and chilled the very bones of Ben Stanton. Ben was from California and was on a hiking holiday, allegedly, with friends. However they had opted to stay at the hotel in the previous village. Ben had decided that he was tough enough to hike on to the next one. He was beginning to regret that decision, for even though it was still august the wind was icy and night had fallen incredibly fast. Ben was amazed to see in the night sky the aurora borealis, the northern lights, he hadn't thought that they were apparent so far south. In the distance there was a distant glow from a house window. Ben hoped that he could get some shelter there, for he had been trudging across the moor for hours. He couldn't believe how lonely they were, how empty and desolate, they seemed to be larger than the map allowed. He was beginning to regret laughing at the old joke his friends had made as he left them, "don't leave the road" they had joked.

As Ben approached the lights from the house he could make out a sign flapping in the wind THE DRUIDS RING it proclaimed. He could see that the lights came from old style oil lamps. Must be for tourists, Ben thought, after all even out here they must have electricity. He could hear a buzz of conversation from the other side of the door and decided to go on in.

As Ben opened the door the conversation stopped instantly, he took in the scene. There were about a dozen customers in the crowded bar, all of them old, bearded and wearing clothes that wouldn't have been out of place before WW2. Behind the wooden bar there was a fat barman with a bald head and large moustache. The only female occupant seemed to be a young barmaid who was in the act of serving drinks. Completing the scene was the large open fire at one end of the room and real wooden beer barrels.

Ben took all this in and thought, any minute now someone is going to say...

"We don't see many strangers in these parts often."

The speaker had been a particularly old looking farmer at the back of the room.

"I'm only passing through," Ben replied, "I was just looking for a room for the night." Then turning to the barman. "And some food if you serve any."

"Aye, you can have a room and Mary here," the barman indicated the girl, "will fetch some food. But are you sure you want to pass on, we can always use some more folks in these 'ere parts."

"No thanks. I'm leaving in the morning to meet my friends." Ben replied.

Ben took a place at one of the tables to wait for his meal. He couldn't believe this place it seemed surreal. THe conversation around him resumed at a quieter level, and with frequent pauses while he was looked at. Ben got the feeling he was being inspected for some purpose. This place was getting more and more sinister. He turned as he heard footsteps be hind him. It was the barmaid, Mary he thought the name was. Ben took a moment to study her, she was about 5'7'' with shoulder length brown hair, a pert nose and blue eyes. The dress she was wearing, although old fashioned, clung to her body, revealing her ample breasts, slim waist and long legs. As she leant down to place the plate on the table she whispered in his ear.

"Don't stay. Leave now while you still can."

Ben had barely enough time to hear the whispered warning before one of the locals pulled Mary away.

"You shut your mouth girl." The grizzled man warned as he dragged her away. then turned to Ben. "You don't want to take no notice of 'er. She ain't right in the 'ead. Bit simple like."

Ben bent back over his food and tried to ignore everything that was going on, this entire place was just to weird for words. He found himself wishing that he hadn't tried to prove how tough he was and stayed with his friends. He was just finishing his meal, having foregone a pint of the local brew, when the fat Landlord rang the bell and called time. One by one the locals filed out the door or up to a room. Ben supposed that some must have permanent rooms. He felt a hand on his shoulder, it was the Landlord with a key. The fat man placed the key on the table.

"Rooms at the top of the stairs." He indicated over his shoulder. "First on right. Toilet's outback or pan's under the bed. Whichever yous prefer."

*****

Ben lay on the bed in his room tossing and turning, try as he might he just couldn't get to sleep. He looked around his room, like the rest of the inn it seemed fifty years out of date. When he looked out of the window he could see that the northern lights had been obliterated by a growing thundercloud, already he could hear large drops of rain hitting the window. Ben started as he heard footsteps outside his room, then relaxed, obviously one of the residents had decided to brave the weather instead of using the chamber pot. Ben smiled it had been a narrow decision for him too.

There was creak of a door opening and the sound of muffled voices followed by a cry. Ben sat bolt upright, and clad only in his boxers and T-shirt crept to the door. He was just about to fling the door open when some unknown instinct stayed his hand. Instead he knelt down and peered through the keyhole. What he saw astounded him. He pulled back and blinked several times, then bent back to look again. Several men in long hooded robes were dragging the barmaid along the corridor towards the stairs. He heard the voice of the landlord.

"What did you think you were doing girl. Betrayin' us tha's what. We take you in an' this is 'ow you repay us. Jus' don't struggle an' it'll be easy on you."

"B-b-but he has friends." The terrified girl stammered. "They'll come looking. I was just trying to serve."

"An' since when 'as that mattered. None can find Druids Ring if we don't want to found." The landlord harshly replied.

Ben waited until they had dragged the poor girl out of sight, then opened the door. Whatever was happening he had to find out and stop. He peered down the stairs into the gloom of the barroom, and saw one of the men throw back a trapdoor, and drag the terrified girl down. Ben knew he had to stop them.

Thunder crashed outside the inn and a flash of lightning lit up the barroom as Ben tiptoed across it, towards the trapdoor. He stealthily crept down the rough stone steps of the cellar. Once again he heard the landlords voice, and peered around the corner. There was a ring of stone pillars, like a mini Stone circle from a tourist brochure, about three and a half feet tall and twenty-foot wide. In the middle of the ring the girl had been shackled to the floor. The men took up positions just outside the ring behind the stones. The landlord took the key position behind the largest stone, and began to speak.

"No-one leaves Druids Ring, even if they cause trouble. No-one is expelled, all continue to serve."

Ben's stomach tightened, what was going on. The men began chanting It wasn't Latin, Ben knew that much, it sounded Celtic and ancient. Outside thunder crashed and the wind howled, as if nature itself was joining in the chant. Ben's eyes widened, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Above the stones a ghostly aura was forming, a swirling ring of softly glowing light, Which bathed the cellar in a strange radiance. Slowly the ring of light tightened about the frantic girl, then engulfed her. Where once a young girl had been there was now a small black cat. The animal let out a terrified yowl and bolted for the door.

It was the brush of the former girl, now a cat, against Ben's legs which brought him to his senses. He forgot all about the raging storm and his nearly naked state. Ben felt panic flood through his body, he knew he had to get out of there and ran up the stairs and across the barroom. He pulled the front door open to escape. Thunder crashed again and the lightning flash lit up the figure of another of the locals holding a ... Oh my God, thought Ben, that's a real, honest to God pitchfork. As Ben stood shocked, the hooded man lifted the pitchfork and hit him across the head with the handle.

Ben slowly came to his senses, the ache in his jaw brought his memory flooding back and panic again shot through his body. He realised that he was chained to the floor and the landlord was standing over him.

"Awake at last. Well, I thought that the loss of our Mary was going to cause a problem but now I 'ave an idea. It'll disappoint old Hugh for 'e was wanting you for a farm'and, but Druids Ring comes first."

Ben's stomach tightened as what the landlord had said sunk in. In desperation he yanked on the chains and flailed around. The ring of men began chanting and the same weird light filled the room. The ring of power swirled in towards him and he felt an odd sensation came all over him. His skin tingled and softened, he felt his chest began to expand under his T-shirt as his breasts swelled. Ben felt his torso shrink and legs lengthen, his waist shrank, his hips swelled. Ben tried to struggle as he felt his features rearrange themselves on his face. Ben could feel his penis and testicles pull themselves back into his body, his genitalia reshaped into that of a woman's, he could feel a warmth in his groin which wasn't there before. Finally his hair lengthened and restyled itself and the ring of light vanished. It had only taken an instant.

The landlord stepped forwards and unlocked the chains that held the newly transformed girl. "Now then girl get upstairs and change into something suitable." He commanded.

"Yes sir." The new Mary replied. Inside her head the mind of Ben Stanton screamed.

In the morning the storm clouds cleared and the morning mist was burnt away by the sun. Eventually the door opened and a figure emerged holding a small black cat. The young serving girl put the cat down to chase the mice, then went back inside to attend to her chores. The inn of Druids Ring stood waiting, waiting for the next traveller to stray from the beaten track.

 

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