At the open door I stopped and gathered some courage to ask. “We did not know this?”
“Oh most of them did, just Arthur, me and a few others didn’t. Still they hold back from committing themselves to Arthur, doing as they are told, but not trying to help beyond that. Knowing less of Lot means he got here quicker than we thought he would because he knows the land and the people.”
Still standing by the door I dared asked my final question in fearful hope. “Don’t we have as large an army?”
Kay stopped in the middle of the room and took a deep sigh. “No.” He answered honestly and broke away.
I wished I had not asked, my inner thoughts of surviving this in one piece were doing well on their own until they heard this news. However, I focused on the moment and followed Kay inside.
He pointed to the far wall. “I need my shield, it’s over there somewhere.” Kay ordered and I searched the area he pointed towards. In meantime he started pulling out his chain mail from an open chest on the floor.
I rushed to get Kay prepared. During the time further assaults on the south wall could be heard, after one there was a lot of yelling that despite the thick walls was clear. Casualties I could be sure. Kay on seeing my concern told me it was just baiting and that Lot was trying to work out the fort’s weaknesses from a distance as well as trying to tempt us in reacting and show him what kind of a resistance we might offer.
I found myself now hoping that the fort was strong enough and would prove everyone‘s expectation wrong. At the same time I tried hard not to picture the damp, rotten timbers or the holes in walls that I had even recently used to dispose of stolen goods!
Kay was soon ready for battle and we marched out and back towards the war council chamber. I carried his shield and gloves and kept my place behind him. We did not make it as far as the chamber as on route we found Arthur followed by Ector and Merlin coming the other way along the hallway.
“How did it go?” Kay asked directly to Arthur, this was not the time for formal address even in public.
“The alliance holds, at least for now.” Arthur answered.
Merlin coughed in distain. “Not least because Lot will kill them attempting to leave.” He commented quietly.
“Well now we sit and wait then.” said Ector.
“No we’re not doing that.” Arthur announced with clear authority shaking his head. “It’s what he will expect, it’s why he thinks we stayed here to fight him rather than go and meet him.”
“Arthur,” Ector asked, his tone unique to all parents warning their child. “I know your king now, but….”
Arthur cut in abruptly. “Father, I know what I’m doing, trust me.”
“It’s not a question of that son. I am yours to command, my sword at your service never doubt that. Just remember, you are dealing with a man who has had years of planning wars it’s not the time to do something hasty without thinking it through.”
“I’m not.” Arthur stated firmly and clearly drew a verbal line in the ground with a tone that said not to cross and determined look.
Kay walked straight over the line, if he noticed it at all. “When I left I thought the last idea was to stay put, when did this change?” He asked demandingly. “Didn’t you say some defence was better than none!”
Arthur was instantly annoyed by his brother questioning him. “The point of staying here was to be rested, be prepared and have something real to defend, but the longer we wait we lose this advantage.” He defended himself to Kay far more passionately than I had reckoned on.
Clearly now Kay thought Arthur wrong as he shook his head. “You want to charge out and fight now, is that it! Merlin’s right, if we step outside we will be killed quickly and easily. They are to the east and on higher ground and there is a clear line of sight between them and the gates for archers to pick us off as we leave before any real fighting is needed.”
“I thought the archers were on the south bank of the river?” I uttered under my breath to myself with a frown.
Except Kay heard me. “No they’re to the east as well, only he hasn’t used them yet.” He snapped at me for daring to disturb a brother’s argument, before turning back to Arthur with a raised voice to make a specific point, “Waiting for a clear target!”
“Kay I know, I just had to convince everyone back there that I know and you’re going to have to trust me too.” Arthur said and rather than shouting this time he spoke softly.
Perhaps now he was the king who had to prove something, but at what cost I worried.
An awkward pause before Merlin decided at last to interrupt the tension between Arthur and his family. “At least we have arrived at dawn and unless my hearing has now failed me I do not heard the sounds of Lot’s army at the gates.” He observed.
Merlin’s comment was enough of a distraction to break up the brothers and he was right. We had all failed to notice first sunlight reaching the windows of the hallway and warming the damp floor.
“Then he does plan to sit out there and wait.” Concluded Ector.
“I would.” Kay agreed. “He can let the archers and catapult do some damage first.”
As if to prove Kay’s point another shoot hit the tower. It sounded like thunder and shook the hallway, but where it hit was difficult to work out. Dust showered down and landed on us from the rafters above.
“Good one son.” Said Ector shaking the dirt from his head, but he was light hearted. “Remind me not to stand close to you the next time you forecast our doom.”
Arthur remained serious. “We need to hold out for a little longer, wait for high tide, and then be ready to move out and move fast. He will wait and see if we will surrender first for a little longer yet. We don’t need any more catapults being built either I know, but he must have brought that one along and needs time to build more.” He said.
“There’s a whole forest out there, lots of wood to build another.” Kay pointed out.
“I know,” Arthur agreed with a hint of frustration his brother was still finding fault. “But that will take him time.” He said and paused. The hesitation was enough that I wondered if there was a lingering doubt that his command would be questioned and the others would not obey before he stepped closer and addressed just Kay. “You need to lead our men Kay, at the first signal and will be one of the first groups of men to go.”
There was the slightest of pauses again. A clear moment for memory to capture as I observed a man who had just asked his brother to face death. In my head such a notion seemed incredible to believe, too dramatic to speak of without sounding overemotional and risk accusations of exaggerating. A moment of time I could only watch, remember, until perhaps one day I might truly understand it. Kay’s eyes darted to Merlin and Ector first, but settled on his brother intently.
“Then I had better get ready.” Kay answered as a soldier should in voice, but the brothers stared at each other for a second more before Kay dropped his head to a bow and he twisted suddenly to me and snapped, “Tor with me“.
The mention of my name made me jump to attention and suddenly I had a job to do.
“And Kay I will need a horse prepared as well.” Arthur added.
This caused Kay to cease his retreat briefly breaking his stride, but he didn‘t look back and he did not answer only nodded. A lot was said in the silence.
It was obvious to me that Arthur realised that he could not hide in the shadows, not if he wanted the respect and service of the others to continue. This Lot was out there for him and he wanted to show the new king was just a boy and not worthy of the task. Ultimately it would always mean that Arthur needed to be any fight to prove himself to everyone and cure all doubt.
Without wanting or willing to meet Arthur’s glaze again Kay quickly departed with clear determination. I followed at once, but I could not resist looking back. Arthur returned an uncertain smile that failed to reach his eyes and diminished to nothing as soon as it had come. I could only achieve the same before I swiftly turned away and
had to half run to chase Kay.
A moment more in that room I would have only shared my own thoughts and fears easily read in the creases of my face. I wanted to spare Arthur that, he had enough to deal with facing the first threat to his life and being responsible for everyone else and their fate at the same time.
Kay’s plan for me was simple. He explained it in the shortest way possible while I rush to prepare the horses and before he left to gather his men. It was twelve words, ‘when we get out stay in the town, I will find you‘. There was never a question of me staying behind in the fort as I was his squire, but he wanted me out of the battle and yet close to hand if needed. It was a squire’s duty in war and sometimes the knight’s only chance of living if injured.
I had to find a spare shield, spare sword and think of anything else that might be useful for him on the battlefield and ran around to gather everything including his horse. In the end it came down to waiting and for the high tide if I had listened correctly. I was no fisherman, the coming and going of the water was of no interest other than a place to bathe and very rarely swim. True I could swim which was rare not least among fishermen. I had been taught like others as a page through the age old method of being pushed into the water enough times in the hope your survival skills learnt the idea before you drowned. Now why high tide was suddenly of interest I could only speculate, but gained no insight for the effort.
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. T
he 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?
The Knight Behind the Pillar Page 29
