Read Online Wolf Wood (Part Two): The Dangerous years by Mike Dixon - Free Book Online
Authors: Mike Dixon
Tags: Romance, Historical, Magic, Witches, sorcery, middle ages, Knights, heresy, family feuds, war of the roses
Ads: Link
over the City wall and ran towards the guardhouse, shouting to his men to sound the alarm. The bell on the tower rang, calling the garrison to action stations. Alice placed her hands over her ears and watched as the scene was transformed.
Robin was not dressed for action. Nor were many of the men streaming into the streets. Some were buckling on armour as they went, often with a member of their family hurrying alongside with breast plates and other gear.
Elsewhere, people were building barricades with materials stacked ready for that purpose. Alice saw her son, Steven, amongst them. He was now twelve and big for his age. She watched him at work with older boys, heaving beams into place.
William's band of desperados had intimidated the guards into opening the postern gate and had created a dangerous situation. The gate was there for the garrison to sally out and attack the enemy. William had left it open. It wasn't clear whether he had done so to entice the enemy into a fight or to let them in. Either way, the French were on the move.
A detachment of cavalry was galloping across the no-man's-land towards them. Alice recognised their standards. They included those of some of France's most distinguished families. The knights dismounted at fifty paces, left their horses with their squires and advanced in a solid mass.
On the other side of the wall, women were shouting, telling William's men to get the gate shut. Others were screaming hysterically. In the midst of the confusion, Robin arrived. He'd not had time to put on full armour and his only protection was a padded jacket and steel helmet. A sword hung at his side and he carried a crossbow. He advanced towards the gate, which was flanked by two of William's men.
'Shut and arm the gate.'
He barked the order and the men gestured back contemptuously. The next moment they were falling forward, clasping their bellies. Alice guessed Robin had shot them. His men knocked the pair aside, slammed the gate shut and dropped the heavy beams that held it in place.
A battle was now raging on the other side of the wall. William had not deserted to the French as she had feared. He was fighting them and his taunts had attracted some big fish. The Bastard of Orleans was not there but some leading French lords were. Alice guessed William planned to take prisoners and hold them for ransom.
She was no stranger to blood and gore. Hours tending the wounded had inured her to the horrors of severed limbs and spilt entrails. But, this was the first time she had seen carnage in action. Conflicting emotions drove her first one way then another. She didn't want to watch but wanted to see what was happening. There was something primeval and fascinating about men engaged in bloody combat. She felt guilty for wanting to look.
William's men were getting the better of the conflict. Some of their opponents lay dead. Others had fled to their horses. Three knights had been taken prisoner. In the distance, a second wave of French was preparing to charge.
William came to the gate and began to parlay with someone through an opening. Alice guessed the other person was Robin. From the way William was gesticulating, it seemed he was not getting his way. She guessed he wanted the gate opened. If it remained shut, he and his men would have to face up to a much larger force and have nowhere to flee.
Would Robin leave him to his fate?
That would solve one problem and create others. Guy would hunt down Robin if anything happened to his son. In the event, it seemed that Robin was prepared to take that risk. The gate remained shut and William returned to his men and formed them into a tight defensive arc.
On the wall above the gate, a gunnery sergeant signalled to his men. Archers crouched beside slits. Others prepared to shoot down through the embrasures at the top of the wall.
A trumpet blew and the French charged. The knights came forward in a compact mass of armoured man and armoured horse. Alice saw cannons
Robin was not dressed for action. Nor were many of the men streaming into the streets. Some were buckling on armour as they went, often with a member of their family hurrying alongside with breast plates and other gear.
Elsewhere, people were building barricades with materials stacked ready for that purpose. Alice saw her son, Steven, amongst them. He was now twelve and big for his age. She watched him at work with older boys, heaving beams into place.
William's band of desperados had intimidated the guards into opening the postern gate and had created a dangerous situation. The gate was there for the garrison to sally out and attack the enemy. William had left it open. It wasn't clear whether he had done so to entice the enemy into a fight or to let them in. Either way, the French were on the move.
A detachment of cavalry was galloping across the no-man's-land towards them. Alice recognised their standards. They included those of some of France's most distinguished families. The knights dismounted at fifty paces, left their horses with their squires and advanced in a solid mass.
On the other side of the wall, women were shouting, telling William's men to get the gate shut. Others were screaming hysterically. In the midst of the confusion, Robin arrived. He'd not had time to put on full armour and his only protection was a padded jacket and steel helmet. A sword hung at his side and he carried a crossbow. He advanced towards the gate, which was flanked by two of William's men.
'Shut and arm the gate.'
He barked the order and the men gestured back contemptuously. The next moment they were falling forward, clasping their bellies. Alice guessed Robin had shot them. His men knocked the pair aside, slammed the gate shut and dropped the heavy beams that held it in place.
A battle was now raging on the other side of the wall. William had not deserted to the French as she had feared. He was fighting them and his taunts had attracted some big fish. The Bastard of Orleans was not there but some leading French lords were. Alice guessed William planned to take prisoners and hold them for ransom.
She was no stranger to blood and gore. Hours tending the wounded had inured her to the horrors of severed limbs and spilt entrails. But, this was the first time she had seen carnage in action. Conflicting emotions drove her first one way then another. She didn't want to watch but wanted to see what was happening. There was something primeval and fascinating about men engaged in bloody combat. She felt guilty for wanting to look.
William's men were getting the better of the conflict. Some of their opponents lay dead. Others had fled to their horses. Three knights had been taken prisoner. In the distance, a second wave of French was preparing to charge.
William came to the gate and began to parlay with someone through an opening. Alice guessed the other person was Robin. From the way William was gesticulating, it seemed he was not getting his way. She guessed he wanted the gate opened. If it remained shut, he and his men would have to face up to a much larger force and have nowhere to flee.
Would Robin leave him to his fate?
That would solve one problem and create others. Guy would hunt down Robin if anything happened to his son. In the event, it seemed that Robin was prepared to take that risk. The gate remained shut and William returned to his men and formed them into a tight defensive arc.
On the wall above the gate, a gunnery sergeant signalled to his men. Archers crouched beside slits. Others prepared to shoot down through the embrasures at the top of the wall.
A trumpet blew and the French charged. The knights came forward in a compact mass of armoured man and armoured horse. Alice saw cannons
Similar Books
