Free Enemy at the Gate by Griff Hosker

at the chest of the knight with the yellow cross on the blue surcoat.  Harold's spear struck his shield. My punch and my sharpened spear head broke the mail and tore though the gambeson to enter the knight's chest. Harold's spear knocked the rider into the path of the fellow next to him and Wulfric lost his spear when it shattered in the throat of his opponent.
    I pulled back my arm and lowered my hand for there were no horsemen before me. My men at arms were engaged with the outnumbered knights behind me.  Sir Richard and Sir Edward had brought their men to add their swords to that unequal contest. Before us lay the mass of the Scottish army and they were all on foot.  Dick and his archers rained arrows down on men who now had two foes to face.  If they turned their backs on the archers to face us they had no shields to protect themselves.
    Twenty or so Scottish men at arms had formed a shield wall.  Three of us still had spears.  I shouted, "Bear left!" It allowed us to ride obliquely across their line and thrust our spears at the waiting shield wall.  Wulfric had drawn his axe and he could swing that mighty weapon one handed. I thrust with my spear at the man at arms who had just stabbed at me.  My spear was longer than his and it entered his cheek and the head shattered.  I felt the blow from his spear but my mail prevented penetration.  I heard a loud shout as Wulfric's axe took half the head from the leader of the men art arms.
    "Bear right!" Drawing my sword I swung Badger's head to the right.  We were now inside the shield wall and the slaughter began.  The squires could use their spears and we had our swords and axes to hack and slash at the heads of the men at arms.  Few had mail coifs and our long swords found flesh. They were brave and struck at us with their swords.  One managed to strike Badger which was a mistake for he lunged, teeth bared at the Scot. I thrust under the man's outstretched arm into his side. The Scots were either dead, wounded or had thrown down their weapons and prostrated themselves on the ground.  I reined in Badger.  The wound to my mount was not serious but it would need stitches.  He stamped the ground angrily.  It did not do to upset a destrier.
    I saw that Sir Edward and Sir Richard had captured most of the knights or slain them.  Two had managed to escape and now gathered with the rest of their army.  It was much smaller in number. They had formed a huge circle with shields on every side.  I smelled burning and turned to see that my men had set the parts of the ram alight. Close to the wall were the remains of the ladders.  Barnard Castle would not be taken.
    Wulfric and Sir Edward reined in next to me. Wulfric pointed to the two knights who had escaped, "That is Sir William Redere there with the Earl of Moray."
    Sir Edward said, "They still outnumber us, lord."
    "But they cannot defeat us.  We have an impasse.  We do not have the men to defeat them and they are looking for a way out. Come Gilles, Sir Edward, we will go and speak with them. Sir Richard, take command."
    I sheathed my sword and took off my helmet and rode slowly towards the enemy with my right hand palm uppermost.  It was the sign of peace. When I was twenty paces from their wall of spears I stopped.  Just then I saw a crossbow come up.  I barely had time to bring up my shield before a bolt struck my shield. I lowered my shield as I heard the cries as my archers killed the last four crossbowmen.
    "I might have expected such dishonour from Scots." I pointed my hand at Sir Richard, "And you sir, had best stay clear of my sword for you lied to me." He had not been as innocent as I had assumed.  He had deceived me.
    He shrugged, "A ruse of war, that is all."
    The Earl of Moray was a greybeard He had negotiated before, "Make your offer!"
    "Leave your horses and go back to Scotland.  Send ransoms for your knights and pay a hundred gold pieces to Sir Hugh of Gainford for the unwarranted attack on his