Free The Fallen Crown by Griff Hosker Page A

apple. The blossom upon it promised a good harvest.  How many of my men would be alive to see the fruit? I knew that the day would be bloody. It was mid morning when my scouts rode in.
    "They come my lord!"
    "Good.  What could you see of our lines?"
    "Had I not known that there were others on the other side of the road I would have just seen the archers and the  twenty five of you."
    "Then let us hope they think we have the death wish. You three choose your own place to fight." They nodded and I shouted, "To arms!"
    I mounted Rolf but I left my shield hanging from my cantle and held my helmet in my hand.  I needed to see and be seen.  "Richard, unfurl the standard.  Let them know who they fight." As the banner flapped in the gentle breeze I watched the road south.  There was the slightest of bends and then the road rose to a second high point to the south of us.  I saw their banners appear.  We were less than a mile from them.  Would they turn and flee?  If so then I would have to pursue them.  They kept coming.  They rode in a wide column which filled the road. They were not boot to boot but there were many of them.
    The richly mailed knights led and were followed by the men at arms.  Ahead of these were a handful of scouts.  They halted half a mile from us.  By the time the rear of the column had come into sight I guessed that there were over two hundred men.  There might be as many as two hundred and fifty.  Only the first one hundred, however, were mailed.  Their regular lines made counting easy. The rest were in a looser formation. Some had helmets and all had a shield but that was all that I could see.
    Aelric commanded the archers on the right.  I could barely see them but I shouted, "Aelric, wait for my command before you loose your arrows."
    "I will, lord."
    I wanted the focus of the attack to be on our left.  They would see the stakes and the archers.  They would have to turn or else their shields would be of no use.
    The enemy halted beyond bow range. My archers had a well deserved reputation for both range and accuracy. A knot of riders took off their helmets and rode to a spot halfway between us. They wished to speak. Sir Edward asked, "Do we all ride to them, lord?"
    "Let us wait until they move and then we shall.  I want to plant fear in their minds.  I wish them to wonder why we wait." Sure enough the five knights began to look around them.  They suspected an ambush or a trap.  They held a conference and then edged their horses on.  "Let us speak with them now."
    I ignored the conventions and took all of my knights.  We halted two hundred paces from our squires.  The squires and men at arms prevented our enemy from seeing the bulk of our warriors behind.
    I had heard of this Edward Fitz Mandeville but never met him.  He was a big man.  He could wear Wulfric's armour. However unlike Wulfric he had some fat upon his face.  His jowls looked heavy.  His mail was black as was his surcoat. It reminded me of one I had seen at Durham. He was slightly younger than I was with a neatly trimmed beard.  I guessed he thought himself a striking figure. I had no time for such nonsense.
    I let him speak first.  He had approached us.  "I come to offer you the chance to surrender.  Earl, you are a traitor.  If you and you men lay down your arms I promise that you will be treated fairly. We will forego execution. We will take your lands but allow you and your families to go to Normandy." He smiled as though he had made a most generous offer.
    "Who are you?"
    My question threw him.
    "I am the Baron Fitz Mandeville and my cousin is the Earl of Essex!"
    "Then you should know enough to realise that you address me as, lord!" He looked stunned as my words.  I continued. "We missed you at both Malton and Helmsley. I may rebuild Malton one day but Helmsley looks like a castle in which I could live. Now I will offer you terms.  If you and your men surrender then I will execute you for your crimes and