Free Earl by Griff Hosker

to protect his prince.  Star did the rest.  He raised one huge hoof and smashed it down on the falling knight. As I drew my sword I kicked at the Welsh Prince. It distracted him enough so that his sword struck fresh air.
    I whipped Star's head around and, despite his size and his speed he did so remarkably quickly. The Prince turned to face me and he tried to stand on my shield side so that I could not use my sword.  I dropped my reins and, standing in the stirrups, swung my blade down on him. My sword struck him a blow on his helmet and then slid down to hit his shoulder.  I heard something crack and then he screamed. I turned again.  His shield was hanging down.  I raised my helmet and shouted, "Yield! Surrender your men!"
    "Never! I fight on!"
    I lowered my helmet.  I had given him his chance and he had spurned it.  He was a brave young man but a foolish one. I rode at him and feinted.  He tried to get on my shield side but his wound had slowed him up. I swung my sword sideways and it hacked through his coif and into his neck. He fell dead.
    As soon as their paymaster died the Vikings turned and ran.  Had the prince been their jarl then they would have fought to the death but he was not and they fled. Star had done enough and I leaned forward to pat his neck.  I took off my helmet and turned to see if we had suffered.  John was behind me.  He had a huge grin on his face.
    "Signal Dick to join me." I saw Sir Richard some paces up the slope and he was kneeling next to his squire William.  He had been wounded.  At the gate I only counted five of my Varangians. We had been lucky.  Having the slope with us and being mounted had made all the difference.  Our speed of attack had caught the Welsh unawares.  They had thought we would sit behind our walls and fight them beard to beard. Had we done so they would have won for they outnumbered us.
    Dick rode up, "My lord?"
    "Take my archers and see where they go. Risk no one.  You have done well this day as have all of the archers."
    "Edward, take charge here.  I fear I have lost one of my men." All the time I had been speaking I had kept an eye on my men.  When Father John only made a brief visit and then left I feared the worst.
    Erre heard my approach and stood.  "It is William the Tall, my lord.  He has died well and will be with your father and the other Varangians." I saw that William had many cuts and wounds.  He stood a head taller than any other warrior and would have been a big target. There was a line of bodies where they had fought. I could see that our charge down the hill had not only disorganised the enemy it had left my six men exposed. They had suffered the attack by those who were close to them.
    "Take whatever you wish from the dead, Erre.  You and my oathsworn have merited that honour."
    "Thank you, my lord."
    I saw that we had a couple of dead men but the walls had given us the advantage.  Others were wounded and I was glad that we had brought the priest. With his help and God’s they would be healed and fight another day. I dismounted and handed Star's reins to John.  I will ride Scout."
    As I rinsed my face with water I heard the cries as the enemy wounded were despatched.  It was a kindness. The only ones who could have been healed were the wounded who were fleeing Dick and his archers. Drying my face I saw the men at arms and archers searching the bodies in the ditch and on the approach to our camp. They would take their pay from the dead.  John and the other squires would divide the booty from the knights. Our accurate archers meant we only had three extra horses but that did not matter.  We had won.
    It was almost dark when Dick returned. "They have departed in their dragon ships my lord." He grinned, "They could barely crew them they had lost so many.  We caught up with a couple as they fled.  They are now dead.  The Earl of Chester came to his walls. He asked to speak with you in the morning."
    "Thank you Dick."
    We burned