Free King Henry's Champion by Griff Hosker Page B

before our feet. “This is treacherous stuff in which to fight. It has not been raining long and yet this is turning into a quagmire already.”
    That was our fault.  My men had been hurrying through the camp organising themselves while the rain had been falling. We were responsible for the churned up ground. “It cannot be helped.  Send a messenger to Dick.  We will need his archers. Have him leave a couple of sentries on his island.  Tell the men to form up to the south of the castle between the road and the motte. The river protects the northern side of the castle.” They hurried off and William appeared with his own mount and Scout.  “I thought you would need this.”
    “Ever the squire, well done, William.”
    I mounted and we rode into the castle.  “Sir Roger, the Scots come but from the eastern island.  I will place my men to the south of the castle.”
    Sir Roger nodded and pointed to the skies which were black from horizon to horizon, “A black day for a fight.  I should warn you, my lord, that the river hereabouts soon bursts its banks.” He pointed to the west where the clouds were even blacker. The rain clouds were everywhere. “If it has been raining over the hills, too, then the river will soon swell. I would not have your men trapped.”
    “Thank you but if it does flood then it does our work for us. You will have drier bowstrings.  Keep arrows falling on their right flank. Have you any crossbows?”
    “Aye my lord, four of them.”
    “Use them.”
    I mounted Scout and rode to join my men.  I rode a little too fast as I left the solid stones of the road to the castle and Scout’s hooves slithered in the mud.  I barely managed to keep my seat. It was a warning for me. We could not use our war horses.  Already the ground was churning up into an impassable morass. As I approached the lines which Wulfric was forming I saw that there were hedgerows to the east.  In dry weather we might have a chance to escape through them but in mud the hedges would stop us. My views were confirmed when I saw Sir Tristan’s squire, John, fall from his saddle when his horse, ridden too fast, slipped in the mud. The young squire was embarrassed rather than hurt. 
    I rode towards Wulfric; he shook his head, “No good for horses, my lord.”
    “No Wulfric.  We fight on foot.  Have stakes driven before us to discourage their horsemen and have spears fetched.” As my orders were obeyed I looked around and saw that there was a rise, albeit a slight one, and I walked to it. 
    John rode up with my standard.  The rain was pouring from his helmet. “We need no horses today, John.  Plant my standard here and this will be the centre of the line.”
    I heard stakes being driven into the ground.  Wulfric had had each of the men at arms cut down their own stake. They were hammering them in before us.  They were angled to face the enemy. Once that was done they sharpened the ends into a point. My knights rode up.  “Send the horses to the castle.  We fight on foot.”
    Sir Hugh nodded, “Damned treacherous under foot, my lord! It is like walking on ice!”
    “Aye.  We use this small piece of high ground.”
    Sir Richard laughed, “If this is a piece of high ground then when I pee that must be a river!”
    Sir Edward said, “The Earl is right.  The rise may only be the height of my knee above the other ground but it is higher and we are already churning this into mud.” He slithered his foot in the mud.  “When we fight we will have firmer ground and they will slip.”
    I turned to see the men at arms using their daggers and hatchets to sharpen the stakes.  Dick and his archers hurried in.  “Your archers are to be placed behind our line, Dick. Make sure our right flank is covered.  The castle covers our left.”
    He shook his head, “Wet bow strings limit our range, my lord.”
    “I know, do your best.”
    “My lord!”
    I turned and saw Ralph of Wales and his archers galloping from the