The Knight Behind the Pillar (42 page)

             
Perhaps of slightly more interest was my current view.  Kay had said our army was not as large, but looking now from the stable door I could see more people in one place than I thought the fort could hold.  With the wait came the growing unease.  You jumped each time the catapult successfully hit the wall, or arrows passed above our heads.  Men whispered between themselves, questions and more questions, most without answers and some with unpleasant ones.  Piecing conversations together I gathered than most of the men had worked out Lot’s position and how exposed we would be by leaving.  There was also the consequential doubt regarding Arthur, the inexperience boy king.  Only doubt had an enemy in the form of Kay before me.  I could not be sure if it was hope or confusion that kept doubt at bay, but the men could see the brother of the King was with them.  Now mounted on his horse he was there to lead the advance he was going to be part of the charge and was a source of confidence for all.  I assumed Arthur would follow with another group as I had not seen him, but there were a lot of men and I was trapped by the crowd.  Very much the leader, Kay was already a tall man, but he ensured he was sitting tall as well in readiness.

             
He spoke quietly to his closest commanding men also now on horseback to his sides.  I was on foot as there were not enough horses to give to squires and of that I was glad.  Besides, I would have little use of one waiting in the town.  Many men were well equipped soldiers near me, some were not and others I knew to be squires ready to help their lords just like me. 

             
I was getting nervous at this point and did not dare to raise my hand to see how much it would shake.  Checking, I kept going over everything and if I had got all I needed.  It was something to focus on.  I had everything and I wanted to stop thinking about it and I annoyed myself by wanting to stop thinking, but could not stop!  I had to admit it was a distraction I welcomed, as pointless as thinking about thinking was, but it blocked other thoughts, darker ones.  Only now I did not need to worry about my hands shaking, the nerves had reached all of me now.

             
Across the many faces I could see there was a mix of those who expressed little emotion, stern resolve controlled by an inner calm I admired.  Then there were those who were just on the edge of sheer panic.  The lucky ones had a supporting hand on their shoulder.  What did I look like I wondered and guessed it to be somewhere in between.

             
Beyond the knights on horseback before me towered the timber gates that dominated everything.  Staring my eyes watered as I refused to blink until forced.  These were gates I had always ignored, walked past without a thought and until Arthur came I could not remember them being closed before and had forgotten their purpose.  Now what they concealed on the outside was the centre of so many men’s fears and they fulfilled their function.

             
Abruptly everyone around me went quiet as if taking a breath all at once.  High tide!  Was this now, was it the right time?  It could only be mid morning at most.  Once through the gates there would be no night to protect our surprise attack.  My eyes were suddenly drawn to a line of men, archers with flaming arrows quickly crossing the battlements above the gates their purpose would be all too quickly made clear to me in moments.  

             
“This is it, “Kay proclaimed looking back to me, “Be ready!”

             
My mind was engulfed by the nothing at last, I nodded or I may have shuddered with my nerves gaining control.  My own world was breathless with only silence the greatness sound.  The signal, a flaming arrow flew up and I watch the flames disappeared from view away from the first archer.  Expectant I found nothing seemed to happen after the first arrow had gone out over towards the town beyond some place and the archer withdraw to shelter behind the parapet wall.  Another flaming shot then another in quick succession followed and each archer then sheltered quickly afterwards. 

             
My world of silence was however short-lived with the last archer.  His shot was suddenly rewarded with a surge of men, horses and roar of the charge towards the opening gates.  I was immediately lost in the flow and noise of it all. 

             
At the gates I had no choice but to continue alongside the out pouring of men.  Knock forward every second, I ran as best I could and trying to hold Kay’s extra shield and sword, but it was difficult.  With so many others to avoid and I found Kay was getting away from view in a matter of seconds.  Men against men, the noise of metal battering together was deafening.  I lost my grip of the extra sword as a man brushed against my side.  There was no chance of stopping and going back to receiving it against the yelling stampede. 

             
As for Kay getting so far ahead I doubted it mattered too much as my orders was to stay clear somewhere in the town.  Just I needed to get there and I suspected I would find other squires gathered in the same place.  Then I wondered where Arthur was and when he might ride out, it was impossible to see very far pass everyone else in the madness. 

             
In moments I passed gates and the tight mass of bodies gained more space.  However, space was promptly no longer my concern as before me was the town and it was on fire!  Flames were just starting to take hold and mainly the roofs were affected for now.  It would take little time to spread out without someone pulling down the thatch or forming a water chain to stop it.  Astonished and confused I could not understand why Arthur had ordered the destruction of the town and how could this be his signal!

             
An arrow whizzed by, then another shortly afterwards quite close and everyone ducked as much as they could while running at the same time.  Lot’s army had just started to realise what was going on, but Arthur’s army stormed onwards.  More and more men came out of the fort, but I managed to work my way across and was released out of the main flood of men.  I stood by and watched for just a moment, except the number of arrows coming across was rapidity increasing as Arthur’s surprise worn away.

             
Without further thought I ran across to the first few buildings.  While a shelter from arrows, their roofs were well alight now.  I had lost sight of Kay, but also I could not see the head of Arthur’s army or any of Lot’s men or even guess as to his position thanks to the growing smoke haze.  It dawned on me then at once and I could hardly believe it.  I had learnt in the short time of knowing Arthur that he was good at planning ahead, he was a quiet thinker.  Could he had thought of this and considered the smoke would be a form of cover while his army came out of the fort to face Lot?  It was a huge gamble, the wind had to be right, the wood could not be too dry or it would not produce thick dark smoke and neither could it be too wet or be difficult to set alit.  Arthur said a rested man was worth more than one exhausted by travel, this sounded to be a good argument at the time to stay put, but could Arthur also had considered he might have the option to burn the town to the ground as a shield of smoke when he decided to stay.  The result being a surprise attack and in day light when you least expect it with the smoke acting as the missing cover of night! 

             
Only it was not a perfect shield and while there was a mounting fog of smoke I could hear the occasional arrow finding a target.  Coughing was another sound, my own.  With more coughs I moved across to another building, another home about to be consumed by flames as it spread.  Its timbers gave little resistance to the flames, they cracked and creaked as they were attacked.  Smoke was in my lungs and I was coughing harder now, again I urgently needed to move for find a gap of fresh air.  Quickly I was realising that Kay was not going to find me here if I was needed and the plan to stay clear I doubted included a town burning around me and me with it! 

             
I guessed the smoke was drifting east towards Lot’s army which was the best outcome and another gamble that had worked for Arthur.  My intentions were to go north and I weaved around further buildings and purposefully headed away from the deadly path of arrows.  I needed somewhere free of smoke and in sight of the battle and Kay and then at least I could try to be on hand if needed.  Hearing a stray arrow pass by I ducked for all the good it did as I could not see much.

             
Smoke stung my eyes and for a bit I staggered a little aimlessly hoping I was going the right direction as my sight was worsening.  Sounds were a guide, metal hitting metal in the distance, commands being shouted and I was rewarded by hearing the voice of Kay shouting, although I quickly doubted this soon after.  In the smoke haze ahead was the battle, how far it was I was not as sure.  The smoke continued to change around me being thick one minute and lighter the next.  Shadows of light flickered in the smoke as well and before I realised it I had left the town behind me or was it somewhere to my side now? 

             
I stumbled on for a time not entirely sure now of my direction or purpose and coughing on occasion.  More arrows ripped through the air and I dived for the ground.  There was a resulting cry and selfishly I was glad it was not mine.  Daring to look up again I did not want to admit it, but I was lost.  Standing once more with caution I slowly walked on.  The land I found was dropping away and I misjudged my footing many times.  I kept tight to the grass bank forming to my left with sounds of the battle ahead now again and coming nearer.  All at once a light wind quickly cleared some of the smoke and a scene of fighting was revealed.  I cursed my foolishness for not choosing to head back to the fort when I knew which direction it was, but drew my sword at once. 

             
Men scattered everywhere fighting, most of whom within the limits of my vision I could see were on Arthur’s side with their red bands tied on their arms.  I instinctively checked again for mine to ensure it was in place.  To my right I spun around to find a soldier running pass close by, but his attention was not on me.  Instead it was on a man dressed in a green tunic, no armour except for a rough looking round timber shield and short sword.  At most he was likely to be around Kay’s age with dark curly hair and unusually no beard which made him look younger.    Importantly the man had a red tie round his arm and I was pleased to see him heading off the other solder’s assault skilfully. 

             
Unfortunately he was at a disadvantage and his initial good defence did not last long with his enemy having a longer blade.  To my dismay his enemy was as quick despite his chain mail, breastplate and a helmet disguising his face.  Arthur’s man was being forced back and with an exceptional blow he was left with his shield smashed to pieces.  Now he was in trouble and he knew it I could tell. 

             
He needed help I concluded, but what?

             
Another close strike, fatal had it not just missed.  The soldier was wrong footed as he backed away.

             
I was rooted to the spot and about to watch the end of another’s life.  He blocked the oncoming sword, but was being knocked aside or back by the enemy soldier’s shield over and over.  It was a matter of when now for a final killing blow.

             
“Behind you a bear!”  I yelled convincingly in a strong clear voice.  Despite being my own voice it was a shock to me.

             
I doubt I would ever explain what made me shout and why a bear of all animals or an animal at all, but the enemy paused in his attack with equal surprise to my own.  It was a ridiculous thing to say, yet his guard dropped for an instant as his mind was distracted from his task by the strangeness of the mention of a bear amongst the expected sounds of war around us.  Smoke drift blurred my sight again, but I could see the moment of distraction was enough for Arthur’s man to take a chance, gain a stronger position and in moments his sword impaled the soldier’s far side.  The unknown knight crumbled to the ground.

             
The victorious man skipped over to me at once not even waiting for the soldier to hit the ground.  “My thanks sir.” He called over, but on approaching more he frowned when he looked at me closer.  “Only you look a little lost and young to be here?”

             
“I’m Sir Kay’s squire.” I informed and a little guarded in the presence of a stranger.. 

             
“Ah I see.  Well I’m Safir,” He said with an odd accent that matched the unusual name I had never heard before.  As he spoke he was looking around for the next enemy all the time, but he took a moment to pull the remains of the broken shield away from his arm, the part that had been strapped to it.  “And I guess this is finished with.”  He concluded.

             
“I need to find Sir Kay.” I asked, more intensively than I wanted to sound giving away some of my nerves.

             
“Not seen him, you should head back, I doubt you should be out here at all.” 

             
“I guess not.” I answered little unsure, “What about you.”

             
“Oh don’t you worry err?” He questioned glancing up at me.

             
“Tor.” I offered as his friendly tone of voice won me over.

             
“Tor, a good name, I’ll remember that one.  I’ll be fine now, just got a bit of smoke in the eyes back then and let him get too close.  Now go will you.”