Free Baron of the North by Griff Hosker Page A

sides while there was a ditch running around the other two. The sand dunes would stop a rapid advance.  I wondered how the Vikings had managed to take such a formidable castle.
    Hugh scratched his head, "I can see how the Vikings took it.  The ditches would have caused little trouble to them."
    I laughed, "If you had examined the gate you would have seen that was the way they came. Unless I miss my guess at high tide this ditch fills with water.  It has not been cleared for some time but you can see weed at the bottom and there the sand is damp. That is why the gatehouse is burned.  They must have set fire to it and then rushed in but they would have taken many casualties."
    "You have a plan, Baron?"
    "I do, Sir Richard. We put the archers and crossbow men in here.  When the men of Gospatric come from Berwick the knights, squires and half of the men at arms will appear to flee for we shall be frightened.  We will appear to be heading south and we shall ride along the side of what the Scots will think is a deserted castle. The archers and crossbows in the ruins will whittle them down and the rest of the men at arms will attack from the west while we turn and attack from the south. They will not know in which direction to turn." I turned to walk back to our horses.  "Come we shall put the archers and crossbows in here now.  Dick can improve the defences and make the attack more effective."
    I sent our scouts north towards Berwick.  It was just twenty odd miles away.  I suspected that the fleeing ships and those who had been displaced would have reached the town in the last couple of days.  They would have waited a short time for news from Fitzwaller and to gather more warriors.  I estimated they would reach us by the next day but I wanted confirmation from the scouts.
    I allowed the men to shed their armour, at least for half a day. Our war horses were taken to the remains of the castle where they would be ready should we need them. When we fled they would be waiting for us south of the castle.  We would charge on fresh horses. I also had our supply of lances left there. The priest and the Pyx, along with the banner of Durham, would remain hidden until my archers' attack.  It would have an effect on those men who had followed Gospatric.  It would show them that we had God and St. Cuthbert on our side.
    That evening as we ate the last of the meat we had collected and the smoked fish, Sir Raymond asked me about my plan and how I had devised it. "It is not my own, Sir Raymond.  I stole if from the Parthians. The Romans invaded their land and the Parthians led them on for they were a nation of mounted men.  When they had them where they wanted them they sent in a force of horse archers.  The Roman cavalry pursued them. They turned and destroyed them with their arrows and were then able to surround the Romans and slaughter them.  It was a huge defeat."
    "But you have changed it."
    "Of course.  I looked at the terrain and I have used what was available.  They will have foot and when they chase us the knights and men at arms who are mounted will outrun them. They will be the ones we destroy first and then we can fall upon the foot."
    "It sounds easy."
    "Every battle plan sounds easy. Ask me again tomorrow after the battle.  There are a hundred and one things which can go wrong.  If they do then I will have to adapt my plan."
    The scouts returned the next morning. "Baron, there is much activity at Berwick.  We waited until late at night to return as there was much going on at the castle. Many knights arrived with their conroi and they had mercenaries who came from the west."
    "Exactly what sort of activity?"
    "Riders coming from the south and from the north; people fleeing north too."
    That worried me.  If they had messengers from the south then it suggested that, perhaps, they had found a different route north.  Gospatric would know who faced him. It could not be helped. I gathered my knights and my captains.