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“We held them at the pass and now we will fight
them here.” Aurelius called out as he rode down the line of the army that had
gathered there. He reckoned that they were about fifty thousand strong then
reinforced by other Lords during the forced march there.
“They are across the fields in their depleted
numbers.” It was seen that the Anglo-Saxons were lesser than the earlier two
hundred thousand but they were still a formidable force.
‘They were defeated many times and will be once
more.” Aurelius motivated his army of his. He rode towards Lord Eidol to plan
the battle strategy.
‘Lord Eidol, we are a third of their numbers.
We hold about half my number of riders from Amorica. They will be the attackers
from the left, to avoid us in a pincer move. The mercenaries who are with us
will be in the main formation in the middle I have a distrust of them and need
watchful eyes on them.”
There were the Scots and Jutes that had offered
their services. They were there for they were left out of the Anglo-Saxon land
grabbing during Vortigern rule.
“They will fight for us, my King.” The Lord
that brought them there firmed up the loyalty of the mercenaries. “Long we have been enemies but now we have
found one common enemy. They will battle. I promised them to loot after we
defeated the Anglo-Saxons.”
“My King, there are more of the Lords riding
here with more warriors. Should we not wait for them before we battle?” Another
Lord had arrived pledging more of the army from afar.
“The battle is not of my call now. It’s the
Anglo-Saxons who had lined up there, We have to defend or flee.” Aurelius
pointed to the other side of the field. “We can delay the battle but it would
be decided today.”
Aurelius looked at the sun and it was at
midway. He then turned to Uther.
“You will take the right with the army under
you. You will rush at them to create a pincer move.”
“No, my King. I am not on the call. I will
suggest we stay together except for the riders, to form a wedge that will break
the Anglo-Saxon into two parts from the middle. With that, we can break their
will and win this battle.” Uther laid out his plan. “We are too small to be
split into the pincer move.”
“Do as we did at the pass. Form a wedge to
their advances.” Uther added.
“I may agree, my King.” Lord Eidol looked to
the King. Aurelius was young and with some battle victories but he had never
fought a bigger army in the fields. The Lord himself had done so and knew that
Uther spoke the better strategy. It was also to delay the inevitable defeat
unless they are reinforced in time.
"Send the scouts to guide our
reinforcements here.” Lord Eidol added.
Aurelius remained silent and then he nodded. It
was a better strategy and there was no narrow pass there. He was to call the
movement when the call to battle was heard.
“The Anglo-Saxons marching.”
“Send the scouts now.” Aurelius walked his
horse to the front. It was time to battle.
Across the field, Hengist had conferred with
the other chiefs when they arrived at Conisbrougfh. The town was too small for
a huge army, so they camped near it.
“Hengist, I am done to half my warriors. Do I
need to bring in my womenfolks too?” Hengist was scorned by one of the Chiefs.
“Aye, I am down with lesser warriors. Are we to
be reinforced?”
“Hold down, Chiefs of the Clans. We have lost
some of our warriors, but we still stand strong to the other side.” Horsa
addressed the chiefs.
“And our supplies? A season load of grains all
gone.” Another chief lament on.
“We will wait no more. We will attack with our
numbers today. I say we do it.” Hengist roared out.”For the pride of the
Anglo-Saxons. “Óðinn á yðr alla (Odin owns you all) - A
reference to Odin's self-sacrifice at Yggdrasil.
Hengist looked to the Chiefs for their
reactions. They soon resonated with him.
The Anglo-Saxons charged at the Britons with
their long lines at the formation. They move hard to create the pincer move on
the Britons.
“Form the wedge!” Lord Eidol called out to the
warriors. “Break into their middle.”
The core of the Britons army fought hard there
to press the Anglo-Saxons into two parts. It was a desperate move. Aurelius was
at the front slashing with his sword and defending with his shield. The young
King was protected by a group of Briton warriors but he was ever moving
forward.
“Nay!” Aurelius denied the blow by the battle
axe of the Anglo-Saxons when he thrust his sword into the left side of the
other. His sword was stuck by the coat of fur with the flesh beneath, so he
dropped his sword to pick up the axe. It was heavy in his grip but he swung it
at the next attacker. The axe cleaved the anglo-Saxon in the left forearm
before Aurelius kicked him to the side to be killed by the others. He attacked
on and then received a gladius; the Roman sword. He gripped the familiar hilt
and continued on his attack.
“Protect the King!” The call went out from the
group that was assigned to Aurelius. The Anglo-Saxons heard the call and were
attracted to it, they clamor to fight the King.
“They are coming at the King!” The Britons also
fought to gather near the King. Lord Eidol heard the call, and also fought his
way there. He was wounded in the right forearm but gripped his sword to
continue the fight.
Hengusty was bust at his attacks. He deflected
the slashing sword with the handle of his battle axe while his left hand
reached out to grip the neck of the attacker. He held firm his grip with the
left hand and pulled the other to his face. He then smashed his head at the
attacker’s face. The other reeled back with a bloodied nose. He did not stop
there and swung his battle axe at the other’s nack.
“Die, Briton!” Hengist roared out.
“Your back, Hengist!” Hengist heard the warning
but that slash did not cut into his back. The backstabber was taken care of by
Horsa who stepped in to cut the Briton on the left side of the waist.
“Aye, I am unprepared.” Hengist took a step
back while rubbing the blood off his face.
“We are all getting careless with age.” Horsa
stood next to Hengist. “Watch my back, while I do yours.”
They heard the call of the King nearby but the
swarm of fights prevented them from getting to the King. It did not deter Lord
Eidol to look for the Anglo-Saxon chief. He fought hard on seeing the King was
protected. He then saw Hengist in the distance and rushed there, stepping over
the wounded and dead. He soon reached Hengist and challenged the other.
“Fight me, Hengist. I am here to avenge my
friends killed by you. You are a coward then and still in my eyes.” Lord Eidol
looked at the other.
“Let me fight him, Hengist.” Horsa offered to
step in but Hengist stopped it.
“It’s my fight, Horsa.” Hengist gripped his
battle axe. “The day I back from a challenge will be the day I am to die.”
Lord Eidol and Hengist clashed, sword against
axe, shields clanging on the deflection but no one intervened in the duel. Lord
Eidol was younger but his skills were below par with Hengist.
“You are reckless to fight me, Briton.” Hengist
used the flat base of the axe to hit the other on the left shoulder. “I could
have taken your shoulder off your body.”
Lord Eidol stepped back in pain with the
shoulder then feeling numb. He dropped the shield and gripped the hilt of the
sword with both hands. Hengist roared at the other and charged but the Lord had
sidestepped the charge., He had turned his body and swung the sword low with
force. The blade of the sword slashed into Hengust’s left thigh with blood
spurting from the main arteries.
It was Hengist’s turn to stagger back, and Lord
Eidol pressed on. The sword slashed at the groin of the Anglo-Saxon but that
was deflected by Horsa who came to the aid of Hengist.
“Leave us be. It’s our dual.” Lord Eidol
stepped back. “Where is your honor in the duel?”
The honor was met by the attack of another
Anglo-Saxon who charged to challenge the Lord. The attacker’s charge was met
with the sword deflecting it and with a twist of the arms, Lord Eidol removed
the head of the attacker.
“Fight me like a true Chief.” Lord Eidol glared
at the other. “Don’t send the lackey to fight me.”
Hengist was helped to his feet by Horsa had
used the axe to balance. His wound was hastily wrapped with the cloth. He
pushed Horsa aside.
“I won’t be dishonored anymore.” Hengist
staggered to approach the Lord. “Let us end this.”
Lord Eidol charged at the chief and thrust his
sword into the other in the waist. Hengist stood there facing the other.
“You win, Lord of the Britons, ” Hengist
muttered to the other. “I die today.”
The death throes of the Anglo-Saxon chief soon
overshadowed when the others called out for more Britons have reinforced their
numbers.
“The horns have sounded!’
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