Arthur" The Legend and Myth Chapter 15

15,

The sentries alert was seen just before dawn. Peter himself rushed down to alert the others. Arthur who was seated at the bay saw the lighted beacon. He stood up and donned his chest plate before he pulled on the belt holding the gladius. He looked at the fireplace with most of its woods burned and only the embers He shuffled his feet to clear the sands from the sandals before he walked to the seaside. He dipped his feet and felt the warmth onto it. It was strange that despite the cold air, the water was refreshing. He wriggled his toes and then walked in the water. The waves rose to his knees and with each step he felt the tiredness in him dissipate. He loved the water for it was always refreshing. He heard his name called.

“Arthur, we need to prepare for the attack.” It was Lancelot standing just before the waves. Arthur nodded and then his mind flickered back to the preparation. Percival and Lamorak were at the left side of the bay on the hills. He held ten men with him and was armed with the spears. He kept them there to outflank the invaders. It was all he could allocate given the limited number of volunteers. Gawain and his brothers are on the pass. They were there with the others armed with bow and arrows. They were to stop the invaders from reaching the farmlands or at worst reduced the numbers.

Arthur waved at Lancelot and then proceeded to the beach. He approached Lancelot but the later had turned to the fireplace. At the fireplace were the horses. Arthur and Lancelot was the last bastion protecting the village.

That was the preparation.

Or the lack of it.

“They are here.” Percival called out to his men. He notched on the arrow and then pulled the bow string. It was his personal bow and felt at ease with it. He had used the bow for many battles. It was a gift from a defeated warrior of the isle domain. The warrior had handled over the bow before he was beheaded by the Legionnaires. It was a good bow made from the old wood of generations ago, and handed over to him as birthright. The pull was easy but the string was kept tense. The rawhide string held on taut at the pull. His thumb held on tight despite the incoming coldness from the winds. His body tensed from it too but he kept his posture. He did twitch his toes cladded in the sandals. He kicked his sandals into the sandy ground there for a firm hold and He saw the invaders land the boats at the beach. It was as they had planned. The invaders beached there with their five boats and then the warriors stepped on it. The boats hold the creature motif that resembled more of the sea creatures. He could make out the common motif of the sea serpent. The sides of the boat were adorned with the round shields. The single sail on the boats were lowered when the boats were docked. Despite the low light at dawn, he could make out their dressing. They were covered in the plain tunic and trousers with the knee length mail tunic. Some of them had on the head gear with metal dome over the head, spectacles like visor with mail neck guard. The others wore fur lined cover made from the sea creature skins. They were carrying round shields alongside their blades were double edged worn in leather bound wooden scabbards. Percival seen those blades which interested him was its unique pattern which was welded on each blade. Added to it were the elaborately decorated hilts.

Those invaders were Vikings, and they had gathered there before the cliffs. Percival had chanced the opportunity to know his foes better for he was once posted at the forts near the coastal areas when the Vikings came to harass the locals. Percival ran alone across the beach divide and then looked at the gathered invaders.

There were a hundred of them there. It was a smaller number than what he was told.

Maybe they did not arrive in their actual numbers or the fisherman was wrong in the estimates.

But one thing was confirmed.

They were not there to fish. They have no fire there and were huddled close to each other. He could make out three leaders among the fifty and those leaders were not easy foes. They held the hardened looks that spoke of battle experiences. One was taller than the others and was clothed with the thick oily skin coat that reached the waistline. His feet covers were the thick seal skins as favored by those who lived by the sea.

“Norse, when do we move?” The one who spoke to the tall one was shorter and squared in the looks. He was dressed like the other and was armed with a long handle curved axe. The second warrior had a clean shaven face but his tresses of blonde hair hung on over his shoulders. He was a huge figure with the rounded shield and battle axe. The battle axe was a single side sharpened and it lengthen at the lower before it curved inwards. 

“Ainstrom, we will move when we are ready.” The one named Norse flared out. He was not comfortable to be questioned. He stepped away to speak to the other gathered at the side. He singled out the leader there which was an elderly figure.

“Carlstom, I need to talk to you.” Nose called to the other. The elder one approached the taller man. The third leader had on a head gear which covered the head but it did not hide the wrinkles on the face. Carlstom stood there upright and was almost at toes to Nose.

“I want you to take ten of the warriors and do search on the pass. I feared that the place will be our ambush area.” Nose gave out the order. He entrusted the task to Carlstom for the later was experienced in the battles. He was blinded in the right eye from one of those battles and would not take unnecessary action. He once told Ainstrom he intend to keep his left eye. Ainstrom knew Carlstom fior years and was his leader when Norse was a younger warrior. Norse joined the voyages to gain the experience and the treasuries. The rumors from the other villagers told him of some warriors taken refuge there and may be of a threat to them.

Carlstom nodded and then selected his warriors before he set off. Norse then proceeded back to his own group. There were from his village. They have been with him for over three voyages then and four for some. They have earned his respect from the unselfish actions in battle.

“Carlstom will scout the pass.” Nose told his men. “We will back them when the sun reached the beach.”

“Why must we wait? Soon it will light and we can be seen.” One of Norse’ men called out. Norse glared at the man who shouted.

“We will await Ainstrom plan. So sit there.” Norse then turned away. He disliked being told to wait but Ainstrom was the appointed leader. He has to adhere to the rules. It was set then and the warriors then huddled once more at the beach while Carlstom trailed off on the task. Percival saw the breakaway group heading his way. He had guessed the task of the group. He would have done the same but with the Legion he would have called on the Auxiliaries. The later were the mercenaries employed with the romans coins. Percival sneaked away to hide among the nettings. He was keen to know where the group was headed.

And precisely the small group was easier to handle.

Carlstom led his men pass the nettings and then they reached the entrance to the pass. The leader of the group held his advancement there. He was cautioned by the lack of activities at the bay. Even the roving canines were not seen and the whole place looked deserted. He looked to his men and held back half the numbers. He cursed at himself for having to turn his face to see anything on the blind side. He could not see anything that was not out of place except the silence there. Carlsom then took the other half towards the pass. The elder man was not senile despite his age. He stopped his advance and then looked to his sides. His instinct told him that he may be followed. He asked the ones with him to spread out.

“See to the darker corners. I sensed we are followed.” Carlstom whispered to the others. He then looked to the sea and saw the break of dawn was sooner than he expected. He had to rush his task or they may be in for surprises.

“A handful scares you? Surely your age betray your courage.” One of the men who followed Carlstom voiced out. The elder man ignored the other and stayed his eyes on the dim light of the bay. He held firm on his axe but the dampness there was concern. He never had felt the sudden fear until then. He sensed that the recent voyages were cursed with the pickings smaller. At some battles, they were confronted by the settlers united there. There was also another concern then in the form of one other.

“You will not speak so brashly if you had met Utter Pendragon.” Carlstom shuddered on the thoughts of the name he had just mentioned. He had not met Utter Pendragon but the reputation of the leader was known to him. This leader came with his army to quell their raids was one of the scarce pickings. It was on the last raid that they stumbled on Utter Pendragon. They were ambushed by the later and barely escaped with their survivals.

“It’s Heimdall.” Carlstom had held the dying warrior from the upper reaches of the coasts. Heimdall had not waited for them and took on the voyage earlier. Carlstom then was with Norse had taken off a week later. They landed at the coast and took their raid to the nearby monastery but they stopped when they met Heimdall retreating. He had lost half his men in the battle.

“Take him to the Monastery. They have healers there.” Norse had called out but it was a useless effort for Heimdall had died. Norse had then led the group to the Monastery but Pendragon had left the place. Norse then enraged and it was retribution then. He had all the monks slaughter and then their carcasses hung over the ceiling. It was from the dying monks that they knew of the leader who stopped the previous invasion.

Utter Pendragon was a Welsh leader who had rebelled against the Romans. He had built his own kingdom up north in the hills but when the Romans began withdrawing from the lands, he had travelled down south. He had expanded his kingdom with the elimination of the weaker land claimant. He had taken to protect those he had conquered.  Norse would have taken chase to avenge his fellow invaders but he knew his numbers were limited compared to the other leader. They had sailed back with the smaller treasure from the monastery. Since then, Carlstom had travelled to the other villages to learn of more tales on the leader named Utter Pendragon.

“Utter Pendragon here?” One of the men shook Carlstom from his idling thoughts. “I was told that he is back in his castle at Camelot.”

Carlstom ignored the question and searched the pass area. He knew it was a trap there but the real treasure was in the village. The last raid they uncovered coins and food. Nose had agreed with him and took on this raid with more men combed from the other villages. They were told that they will collect that time. Carlstom saw the sunshine had reached the beach and was it time to go back. He signaled the others to retreat back and he brought up the rear.

Percival saw the group retreat and he knew that the attack was on.