33.
Arthur listened hard to the report by Percival. He was glad that the raid was successful and against the overwhelming odds but he was saddened by the loss of his knights. He held only a thousand knights which came to his banner including the two hundred from Pendragon. He was up against what maybe a ten thousand knight army with the new numbers from King of Scotland. He evaluated the land terrain before him. There were in a valley with hills around them except the northern direction. He thought hard of the strategy to win the battle. He then got his plan.
“Percival, take the knights from Lancelot camp to the where the army will be coming from but hold your position before the next hill.” Arthur then turned to Gawain and his brothers. “I want the two hundred archers on the hills but hidden from the enemies.”
“Lamorak and Sir Kay, stay here at the valley. I need you to increase the tents here and have more burnt campfires. Make it believe that we are all in the camp. I will give you three hundred knights with the servants and have them rejoicing as if we are a thousand strong there. So as I have told you before.”
“That we can do with glee.” Sir Kay laughed.
“No, Sir Kay you are to take two hundred to the far hills. I want you to flank them when they are in the trap. You may take the …foreign knights.” Arthur was trying to remove them from killing the isle knights if possible. Sir Kay laughed out even louder and then proceeded to call on the knights under him. Arthur looked to the assembled and he was looking for one more to assist him but the person was not there.
“I will take last two hundred knights with me to lead the enemies in.” Arthur looked away with a grim expression. He then stepped away leaving Percival there alone. The later gave the command and he rode off. He rode towards the hill and then down the hill to the plains. He was riding hard then and then he saw the rider ahead. He was lucky that Lancelot was riding slow.
“Whatever you are doing won’t work.” Lancelot started off the conversation. “I am leaving.”
“It’s okay. I am leaving too.” Percival replied. “We are going to lose the battle. Like at the river. The fort was not built to withstand the Pict. We were fools to try to help Arthur.”
Lancelot did not reply. They rode on in silence and then Lancelot could not hide his question inside of him.
“Why did you leave, Percival?” Lancelot halted their riding. “It’s unlike you to run away from duties.”
Percival pulled on the rein on his horse and stopped. He looked over at Lancelot.
“Do you want to know? Really does it matter to you? You are leaving. So am I.” Percival looked to the plains. He then saw the seven riders there. They could be some travellers but he was adamant that they are none of it. He saw them charging them.
“What…I think they are scouts.” Lancelot dismounted from his horse and reached for his sword while Percival drew his gladius. The later dismounted from his horse and then dragged his faithful shield from his Legion’s days. He had never felt the need to change the weapons. Both of them stood apart and awaited the riders. When the riders were near to them, Lancelot could make out the riders. They were Anglo Saxon warriors with their distinctive spear design. It closely resembled the Roman pilum but the Anglo Saxon spear was more used in close combat than as a javelin. The spear had a small barbed head connected to the socket by a metal shaft. Another seen weapon was the wooden round shield covered with leather, with an iron boss in the center.
“Anglo Saxon?” They were not of the inhabitants of the isle but from the main continent.
The question was not replied but the scouts replied with their war cry. At that moment Lancelot responded with his Legion’s war cry. He braced his legs for the fight. Three of the scouts halted their ride while the other four charged at them with the spear leveled. Lancelot swung out with his sword aimed at the rider heading for him. He deflected the spear and then with a twist of his hand, he managed to cut the horse with it at the upper right front limb. The horse toppled over and threw its rider. Lancelot had then jumped aside and then went for the next rider. His swing then was aimed at the rider and got his cut into the rider’s waist not covered by the shield.
“Ahh….” Lancelot screamed out in delight on the move. He then did a body roll to avoid the third rider but Percival had then engaged the fourth rider. He went for the rider with a charge. He lunged upwards leaping with a jump from a mound of the ground. He jumped high and tossed his gladius like a dagger. The gladius stuck the rider in the chest. The rider fell off the horse and Percival moved fast then. He landed and then reached for the Anglo Saxon’ spear. It felt heavy in his right hand but he knew his skills well. He launched the spear like the pilum he was used to before. The spear was aimed at the second group of three riders. Those riders were charging then at Percival.
“Darn!” Percival searched his body for more weapons. He felt his dagger and held it in his right hand. He saw them coming and braced himself. He then did a retreat and ran. The three riders broke off and two of them went for Lancelot. The one that rode for Percival caught up and leveled the spear. At the last moment, Percival jumped aside and then with a body turn he tossed the dagger at the rider. The dagger stuck the horse on the rump and it reared up to toss the rider. Percival had then rushed to the fallen rider to land a kick on the rider. His kick landed on the neck before Percival went with a series of punches at the face. His punches drew blood from the face before he stopped.
“Darn!” Lancelot chanced on the same cursing then but he was ready to fight. The two riders have split and came at Lancelot with a distance of ten feet apart. He held at his sword Arondight in an upright leveled sword. He did not wait for the riders to reach him. He clashed at them with his sword swinging above his head in circular movements. At the last moment he used his sword to deflect the right rider’s spear and then used his legs to jump high to kick at the horse neck. With the kick, he propel at the second rider with the sword thrust out. He hit his mark with the sword into the rider’s left thigh. With the cut, he thrust the sword in deeper and slash across its flesh there. Lancelot then fell to the ground without his sword, and the rider soon followed. Both of them lay on the ground breathing hard and before Lancelot could react, the rider stood up hobbling on his good leg. He drew out the dagger on his waist and dragged himself at Lancelot. He stood over Lancelot with the dagger and raised it over his head.
The blow did not come.
An arrow pierced the wounded rider in the face.
Lancelot still lying on the ground looked at the dead rider who had fallen onto his knees. He turned to look at who was the one who shot the arrow.
It was not Percival. He was on his knees holding his bloodied fists.
To the far right of Percival was ten riders but they were dressed in the colors of Pendragon. One of the riders held a bow.
“Good shot, Tristram.” The bowman was praised by the others. He was a tall figure with a solid slimmer build. Unlike the others, he wore a chest piece but he wore only a metal greave on his right shoulder that extent to his lower forearm. His right wrist to his fingers was covered with leather thongs wrapped. He held a recurve bow which allowed the shooter to deliver with more energy and speed to the shot. The recurve bow was preferred to on a horseback than the straight bow. The riders approached Percival.
“Whoever you are, you are to follow us.” The head of the riders told the other. “Pendragon will like to see you in person.”
“They are Anglo Saxon.” Lancelot hollered out when he ran over to the riders. “We have to warn the others.”
Lancelot objection was met with a brutal force to the head. Percival rose to defend his friend but he was held back by the sword placed before his neck.
“Knights of Camelot, I think you have no choice on the matter.” The one named Tristram looked to Percival.
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