The Fallen Crown (21 page)

"Wheel to the right!" I used my sword to bring Wulfric and his men on the extreme left of my line to swing obliquely around. Sir Richard who was on the extreme right held his men until we were aligned.  The enemy was over half a mile away and the Mormaer of Berwick was beginning to form his own battle line. Even As I shouted, "Forward!" we were seen.  I could see the reaction of those on the right of the Scots as they saw the long line of horsemen approaching. I would not act prematurely. We had to maintain contact with each other. The Scots helped me. They formed an L shaped line. They were slow to do so.  Men on horses were intermixed with those on foot. It was not by design, it was by accident. 

"Forward!"

I spurred Rolf and we moved a little faster.  I saw the arrows from the archers ahead as Dick and Sir Edward used those deadly missiles to slow down the advancing Scots. We were now less than four hundred paces from the enemy.  They had a line which had some spears forming a barrier but they had horsemen who were behind those on foot. The Mormaer was making sure his men did not run. Some of those on foot were armed with a round shield and a sword only. We would see if they could face the wall of steel and ash which approached them.

"Charge!"

We were a hundred paces from them when I unleashed my men. I pulled back my spear and aimed it at the mailed knight in the front rank who stood with his spear men.  I knew where to strike.  He had an open helmet and he had the flap on his ventail down so that he could shout orders. The thunder of our hooves made the ground vibrate and we were close enough to see the fear on the faces of those who had never faced such a charge before. I punched hard.  I was lucky.  The knight did not have a spear.  My spear crashed into his skull shattering bone and flesh. It went through him and threw him into those behind.  My spear shattered and I let it go.

Taking my mace from my cantle, for it was closest to hand, I swung it at the warrior behind the dead knight who stood covered in blood, brains and gore. The mace ended his reverie and his life. All along the line there was a clatter of metal on wood.  The screams of dying men mixed with horses struck by enemy spears. As I looked up one of the mounted horsemen jabbed his spear at me. He and his mount were stationary.  I saw it easily and flicked the head away contemptuously with my shield.  Standing in my stirrups I brought my mace across the side of his head. The blow threw him from the saddle and then I was through their lines. I hung my mace from my cantle as I wheeled Rolf around.  I drew my sword.

As I turned I saw that my squires were still with me.  Gilles' horse had been cut but it was not serious. I stood in my stirrups.  "For God, England, and the Empress!" I led my line into the rear of the Scottish horsemen.  They tried to turn to face us.  My men and Wulfric's had been the only ones to break through their lines but that was enough.  The centre and the enemy right were breached and Sir Edward and Dick attacked the enemy left.

I spurred Rolf towards the standard of the Mormaer.  He had turned his horse and he and two knights rode towards me. He had a full face helmet and a long sword but his horse was not as powerful as Rolf. I charged his horse with my shield pulled tightly to my side.  I saw that he intended to charge my sword side.  Edgar was on my sword side and that decided me.  When our horses were less than three paces apart I jerked my reins to my left and stood in my stirrups. As he tried to control his horse and avoid Edgar's sword I brought my own blade down hard.  He managed to half block the blow with his shield but my blade still bit into the mail of his shoulder. At the same time Edgar's sword smashed into his right hand and his sword fell. His squire charged Edgar who was forced to turn and face the brave squire.  The Mormaer managed to control his horse and use his squire's charge to turn away from me.  A second knight struck my shield with his sword. I wheeled Rolf's head around and swung my sword from over the rump of Rolf. I hit the sword of the knight so hard that it shattered.  He threw the hilt at me and as I brought up  my shield to avoid being struck he wheeled his horse and followed the Mormaer as he fled.

The head of the squire flew before my face as Edgar slew him but the squire had done his duty.  He had bought his master time to escape. Gilles picked up the standard from the squire's dead hands.  The enemy broke. They had to try to fight their way through Wulfric and his men.  My former sergeant at arms and his men were laying about them and causing great slaughter.  His war axe smashed through shields and metal, flesh and bone.

Small pockets of men fought around the bodies of their knight but most fled.  I could not afford my men to follow them far and besides they were broken.  They would not relieve the siege of the New Castle. As my men ending the suffering of the dying and collected horses and booty I led Rolf to Sir Edward and Dick. I saw that Sir Edward's shield was broken and his sword bent.  His face was bloody but his grin told me that was the blood of his enemies.

"It is some time since I fought so hard.  God's blood  but I feel alive."

I gestured to the dead men at arms and archers.  "Your men have paid a price."

Dick nodded, "Aye lord but the Scots have paid a dearer one."

It was the middle of the afternoon when we returned to the town walls. I had the captured standards planted outside the gates of the castle.  Those within would have heard, if not seen, the battle.  The captured standards would tell them the result. Sir Philip said, "Sir Hugh has captured the bridge, lord.  His men are keeping down the heads of those on the bridge gate."

"Good.  Father Thomas there are men to heal and some to send to God."

"Aye lord."

"Come Gilles, let us go and speak with Angus of Fife. Richard, fetch the banner we captured."

We rode to the gate and waited. The constable appeared.  His face and helmet were blackened with soot; the result of the fires we had started. I pointed to the banner.  "As you can see the Mormaer of Berwick has been defeated.  Here is his banner. There is no one  coming to your aid.  Surrender now and my offer still stands.  You may leave and follow your defeated army north."

"A generous offer, my lord but we stay.  I have promised my Prince and I will do my duty."

"It does you great credit but when my men take these walls, and take them they will,  I cannot guarantee the safety of any within these walls."

He nodded, "We are warriors all.  Do your worst, Earl.  We shall be ready!"

I rode back to the camp.  "Wulfric have the men make ladders but do so at a distance from the town so that they are neither seen nor heard."

"Aye lord."

"Sir William have your men begin to build a ram before the gates of the castle but make sure they do it slowly."

He smiled, "You do not intend to attack the barbican then?"

"No Sir William but I want them to think that we do."

My men needed rest.  Sir Philip and his men continued to harass the walls and those of Wulfric's men who were fit enough, made ladders. I sat and planned our night time assault with my knights and sergeants at arms.

"We spend this day and the next resting and let them think that we intend to use the ram. Tomorrow night we assault the west gate.  I will lead the attack.  We will then attack the castle from the town.  Later today I will row across the river and speak with Sir Hugh."

Wulfric said, "Leading an assault is dangerous my lord, let one of us do it."

"The day that I allow someone else to lead for me is the day I give up my sword and learn to grow vegetables. I will lead. We will need a bridge making to span the ditch. You had better make it two.  I want an attack on a wide front.  We outnumber them and I intend to use those numbers."

We had found a small boat upstream and Gilles and Richard rowed me to the southern bank of the Tyne.  Sir Hugh had made his camp there.  I greeted him warmly, "You have done more than I could have hoped. I pray it did not cost you too many of your men."

He shook his head, "The enemy lost far more for we were cautious."

"Tonight I want you and your men to rest.  Tomorrow night, as soon as it is dark I would have you and your men hammer wood as though you are making something to attack the gate.  Then have your archers loose fire arrows into the walls.  I want them to think that we are attacking this side but do not risk your men.  You are putting on a show that is all.   We will begin the real attack." I suddenly realised that he knew nothing of our victory and so, while we ate I gave him an account of the battle.

He nodded, "Time draws on, my lord.  Will you be able to be there for the coronation?"

"I hope so but this is more important than watching a ritual. It is but half a day to ride to Stockton from here and the
'Adela'
will be waiting for me.  Captain William has promised me he can do the voyage in under four days at this time of year. Tomorrow night will decide all."

That evening I walked the camp again.  My archers continued to send fire arrows into the town and the castle. Sir Hugh had told me that his men were making it hard for the garrison to fetch water to fight the fire.  This constant attack was draining them.  When I visited the ram I saw that they had cleverly constructed the roof first so that the defenders could not see the progress within.  Sir William was enjoying the deception.  "I think my lads will be a little disappointed if they don't get to actually use the damned thing!"

"Tell them that we will be assaulting the walls but not the gate."

"You still intend to scale them, my lord?"

"It is not as hazardous as you might think.  I fear boiling oil and boiling water.  With the fires we have started I cannot see them using either. Any water they have is needed to fight our fires. If you had ever seen the walls that the Empire builds then you would know that these are not true obstacles."

The next night we lined up beyond sight of the walls.  We had ten ladders and there would be two teams of five men.  We would carry our ladders over the two bridges when we heard the attack on the river. Each of my knights insisted on leading eight of the ladders. Edgar and Wilfred would lead men up the other two. I had my sword and my mace.  I would not be wearing a cloak.  I did not wish to be encumbered.

As we waited in the dark I said, "We must clamber up the ladders quickly.  One slip could be disastrous.  The first ones on the walls secure it for the others.  I intend us to be the first up." I saw them nodding in the dark.  Günter the Swabian would be behind me followed by Gilles.  I insisted that Richard would be last. He was not happy.  He followed Leopold of Durstein who would ensure that my young squire came to no harm. We had all smeared soot on our helmets and mail.  We needed to be hidden for as long as possible.

We moved towards the wall as soon as night fell. Dick's archers were close by.  They sent arrows at any sentries whose white faces showed above the wall.  Philip and his archers continued to send fire into the heart of the castle.

Suddenly I saw, to the south, arrows which appeared to be arcing towards us.  It was an illusion.  Then I heard a mighty clamour as Sir Hugh began his false attack.  The alarm was sounded in the castle and the town. My men picked up our ladder and followed the archers who carried our bridge.  They would stand guard close to the walls and pick off any defender they saw. We tried to be silent but as soon as mailed men clattered over the bridge then they knew that we were coming. Leopold and Jean of Angers threw up the ladder and held it there. Holding my shield over my head I climbed up the stairs.  I held, in my right hand, a short sword.  It would be of more use until we gained the bailey.

I heard shouts above and felt something clatter into my shield.  It made me move faster.  Then a rock was thrown.  Had I not had the shield angled then I might have been thrown from my perch. I used my right hand to pull myself up. I knew how many rungs there were and as I approached the top I prepared to let go with my right hand.  I was still holding on when a war hammer slammed into my shield.  The spike penetrated the leather and wood.  I pulled back with my hand.  The warrior wielding it was not expecting the movement and he lost his balance. I pressed closely into the ladder as he hit my shield.  I yelled, "'Ware below!"

As his body and hammer slid from my shield I took advantage of the fact that there would be no one above me. I clambered up the last two rungs and, thrusting my sword forward, blindly, leapt on to the wooden walkway. Ahead of me two men were raising rocks to hurl down upon Harold.  I ran at them with my sword held out. I just hurled myself into them.  One lost his balance and tumbled to the stones below.  The other took the full force of my sword in his side.  I twisted as I pulled it out. He joined his comrade on the stones below. Without waiting for Sir Harold I ran towards the door which led into the gatehouse.

Günter had his long sword and he ran next to me.  We barely fitted on the walkway but we were a frightening sight to behold.  Three men turned from throwing stones at Wulfric to turn and face us.   Günter was to my left and he swung his sword two handed in a wide sweep as I stabbed at the man closest to the wall. Günter's sword almost cut one man in two.  And the man I had stabbed in the thigh dropped to one knee.  The third raised his sword in triumph and then his face showed a look of surprise as Wulfric's axe severed his spine in two.

I could see he was bleeding from a head wound but he was like an injured bear.  He roared.  Turning to the door he ran at it.  The last of those before us had fled within and barred it. He began hacking at it with his axe.  Peter Strong Arm joined him and the two set to work as though they were felling trees. It was a matter of a few strokes and a hole appeared.  A spear darted out, striking Peter Strong Arm in the leg. He redoubled his efforts.  When the next spear came out I grabbed it and pulled. The hole was bigger now and as the man's head appeared, Peter Strong Arm had his revenge and took the head.