Read Online King Henry's Champion by Griff Hosker - Free Book Online Page A

they would not be needed inside the castle.  I was grateful for their presence.  It gave me two more knights and two more squires. We left an hour after dark. I suspect John had spoken with William for he did not complain at being left behind. Dick rode ahead of us and, riding without armour, soon disappeared from view. I had ordered all my men to try to muffle anything which would alert the enemy. We carried long spears.  They were not as long as our lances but would be handier.  We rode in a column of twos to allow us to defend ourselves if we were ambushed.
    Griff of Gwent suddenly appeared from the woods to the side. Not a word was needed.  His appearance told us that we were now a mile from the enemy camp.  We dismounted and led our horses. We had our helmets on our cantles for our ears would be needed.  There would be time enough to don them when we mounted once more.  The smell from the enemy fires alerted us to the proximity of the camp.  The aroma of roasting meat told us that they would be anticipating their food rather than an attack. Griff stopped and raised his hand to show us that we were close enough to mount. I donned my helmet. 
    Dick had given us an accurate picture of what the camp was like and I had decided that we would charge through the camp in a column four men wide. We would split up once we neared the walls of the castle and then turn in opposite directions. It would be a figure of eight we performed. I aimed for the most effective shock we could achieve.  Dick and the archers would use the confusion to drive off the horses of the men at arms.  Those of the knights and the squires would be safely kept within the castle walls.
    I mounted and my men all followed suit. I rode on the left side with Leofric next to me.  Gille of Gainford, Edward’s squire was next to him and then Sir Edward himself. I hoped the two squires were up to the challenge. Once mounted, I spurred Scout. This was not the place to risk Star. As we thundered towards the camp, some fifty paces away, I saw that the enemy had occupied a number of smaller camps within the large one.
    That made our task easier. I would have to use my spear over my left side. As I spurred Scout on the sound of our hooves made men leap from their tents in surprise. I used an overhand grip to hold my spear. I stabbed down at the surprised Scot who was pulling up his breeks. The sound of our horses and the shouts from men who saw us caused confusion and consternation within the camp.  Men ran for weapons.  Others dived back into tents to don armour and helmets. My right hand worked so hard stabbing down that it ached from the effort. I had no idea of the damage I was doing but I felt flesh when I struck each time.  I was hurting the enemy. When I saw the castle walls appear I yelled, “Wheel!”
    I jerked Scout to the left.  Leofric now protected my right. We charged at right angles to the road we had used. If there had been confusion before when we rode down the road, now we caused chaos. Our column had split into two and the enemy appeared leaderless. Some of Dick’s archers had followed us in and were now using the camp fires to burn the tents.  A pall of smoke began drifting across the camp. It disguised our numbers.  As we were freed from the constriction of riding in fours we began to extract a terrible price for the earlier attack on Norham. The spears were long enough to strike a man cowering on the floor.  As horses rode through tents the occupants fled to be speared and trampled.
    One brave man at arms faced me with his shield and his axe.  As I stabbed him he smashed through the wooden shaft of the spear with his final blow then at Scout.  Leofric’s quick hands thrust his spear into the warrior’s back.  I drew my sword and leaned forward. The men before us were illuminated by the fires Dick’s men had started. They were easy to see. I jerked Scout’s head away from the stabbing spear and, as the spear hit the